The Melt
by pudgypudge
Summary: As a child, Naruto is taken in by Sarutobi to be his chosen successor to the mantle of Hokage. He develops a bloodline long thought lost to the world and learns along the way that, though he may be hated for his demon, his Will of Fire will burn brightly.
1. This Child Will Not Be Slain

Behold, my little sneak peek for you, the reader, into my next story. Make no assumptions, there are no pairings made yet and you won't find out what the bloodline is in this chapter. Where would the fun be in that? This is meant to tease and entice you. Hopefully, it will leave you begging for more. Leave a review and let me know what you think. Love it? Hate it? Apathetic toward it? Let's just hope you love it, because personally, I love the idea I had for a bloodline. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...Licking Cream.

**CHAPTER ONE**

The fox was gone, nonexistent, like it had never been there. The Yondaime was gone as well, his spirit departed for the belly of the Shinigami. He left behind a wife who followed him into the abyss and a son only a few hours old that he had entrusted to jail the most fearsome of beasts. Truly, it was a sad day in Konohagakure.

Old Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage, stood with a small blonde baby in his arms. The babe slept soundly, unmindful of the gathering of elders that were assembled to decide his fate. Sarutobi did not know why the fools had even gathered. The boy's fate was already decided. And Sarutobi meant to keep his destiny unaltered. He listened as the council bickered back and forth, some for killing the baby, some for saving it, honoring the wishes of their dead Hokage. This was a trying time for the village and patience was running thin.

Even for one of infinite patience like Sarutobi.

He'd never had to raise his voice before to get a point across. One does not attain the title 'God of Shinobi' by being loud and spontaneous. Ninja are calm, collected, silent, and deadly. All these things encompassed what Sarutobi stood for. What set him apart from the pack was his high level of intelligence. And that intelligence would grant him a successor and save the village in this time and in future times. No one noticed as he rose from his seat, the babe still sleeping peacefully in his arms.

"Enough. Be silent."

The room quieted immediately and even the small bundle in his arms woke and stared at him reverently. But no sound did it make. He smiled down at the blonde wonder and then turned his gaze back to the council.

"I have sat and listened to your nonsense long enough. This child will not be slain. He will not be made into a mindless weapon. He will not be used. He is a child of Konoha and he holds within him the most powerful of beasts. He deserves our respect above all."

A nameless council member, one of the civilians rose.

"But Lord Hokage, the Kyuubi could break free at any moment. Knowledge of the seal says that its soul is bound to the boy's and that upon the boy's death it will die with him. Would it not be best to kill him now and avoid any future issues?"

Sarutobi narrowed his eyes at the civilian and spoke in a level voice.

"This child shall not be killed. His own life is a sacrifice. The Yondaime chose him to hold the Kyuubi and he believed that his people would see this boy for what he is."

"And what is he?"

"A hero. A jinchuuriki. He is a living sacrifice and a living testament to a human's tenacious hold on life. I myself will ensure that this boy serves Konoha. I might love the people of this village, but if the leaders themselves can't tell the difference between a harmless child and the most murderous of all demons then how can I trust the villagers to let him live a peaceful life?"

He lifted the child and held it out for all to see. The blonde babe giggled and flapped its arms merrily. Sarutobi allowed a small smile to cross his face.

"Now then. Look upon this child and tell me where the malice is. Where is the unbridled hatred and rage that the Kyuubi exuded? Where is the fear that should be present in all of you if he were the Kyuubi?"

"But it could be a trick of the Kyuubi to lure us into false hope. It could be pretending to be harmless."

Sarutobi frowned and wrapped the baby back up in its swaddling clothes.

"And how exactly is that child different from any other newborn? What newborn doesn't look upon the world with wondering eyes? This baby has been born into a cold, harsh world on the worst night of our village's history. For this, he will be ostracized and hated if he is allowed to mingle amongst the villagers and I will not have that. I will ensure the boy grows to be a ninja of exceptional quality. I will ensure that he is pure of heart and loyal to the village."

"And how do you mean to ensure all that?"

Sarutobi smiled at the speaker. Of course, it would be the old war hawk Danzo. How he hated the man. What he said next would make or break the boy's future, but he would not back down.

"This baby, this small little blonde child you see before you, is my chosen successor. I will train him in the ways of the ninja and the ways of a Hokage. He will lead the village when I step down."

Hyuuga Hiashi rose from his seat and walked to stand in front of Sarutobi. The old man's grip on the baby grew tenser as the pale-eyed man gazed down at the infant. The babe stared up into Hiashi's eyes with wonder and reached out with small hands towards the man's face. Hiashi's gaze softened and he stuck a finger out for the little child to latch onto. It gripped the digit and cooed happily. And Hiashi…Hiashi smiled, shocking those gathered.

"I see that you have chosen a strong child indeed to be your successor Lord Hokage. I, Hyuuga Hiashi, will trust your decision and will help you in any way I can."

To Sarutobi's surprise, the rest of the clan heads stood and offered their support, all except Uchiha Fugaku. He voiced his opinion that he would not support such an endeavor and that the rest were fools. Seeing that he was outvoted, however, he went along with the decision reluctantly, but not without provisions.

"Should the child ever prove dangerous, I, along with the rest of the Uchiha clan, will not hesitate to bring him down. This I swear. The village must come before a man's wishes."

Sarutobi nodded and Fugaku left the chamber without another word. He had said his piece and knew he was no longer needed. One by one, the leaders of the clans came forward to see the baby and offer their support and help should the child need training beyond what Sarutobi gave him. Once all were gone, it left just Hiashi, Homura, Koharu, and Sarutobi. The two elder advisors to the Hokage watched as Hiashi approached Sarutobi and gazed down at the child again.

"Do you really intend to keep him from the village? A child needs interaction with those his age; otherwise he will grow up too quickly. You've seen how those in ROOT and how young prodigies like Uchiha Itachi act. They have no personality at all; they're like machines. Do you intend to send the child to the academy at some point?"

Sarutobi rubbed his chin and looked toward the ceiling, as if it would have the answers.

"I have not thought that far ahead yet truthfully. I will keep him in my household for the first few years of his life, giving him a family life and a stable environment. I will introduce a law that specifically states that those old enough to remember the Kyuubi attack will not speak of it to the younger generation, further giving him a chance at a normal life."

"We both know this child's life will never be normal."

Sarutobi's eyes drooped and a small, sad smile came across his face. The bundle in his arms yawned and fluttered its eyes.

"I know that. But he deserves at least a happy home life. My family and servants will care for him when I cannot. He will at least know the love of family. He will know that, at least to a few, he is wanted. I, for one, will not let the Yondaime's wishes go unnoticed."

"Nor will I. If you need any help, just send for me."

Both men looked down at the small child and smiled sad, mournful smiles. Hiashi reached out and stroked the infant's hair.

"He looks just like him you know."

"Yes, he does."

"I don't believe you ever said what his name was."

Sarutobi's eyes twinkled and he pulled the baby back against his chest.

"His father named him Uzumaki Naruto, just before he passed on. I intend to make it a name known throughout the nations. The Will of Fire will burn the brightest in this young one."

Hiashi nodded and left to assess the damage done to his family. Sarutobi nodded to his advisors and left for his home. He nodded to himself as he walked.

'Yes, this child will be the living embodiment of the Will of Fire. I will ensure that, come Hell or high water, this child will be a legend.'

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Sarutobi sighed as he walked in through his door. Half of his compound was demolished. Miraculously, the living quarters were untouched and thus, at least his family and servants had a place to sleep. It would take a while to rebuild the village to its former glory, but that was for another day. For the moment, he had to introduce the family's newest member to them. He silently wished his son Asuma was there at the moment, but that was neither here nor there.

The servant who ushered him in smiled and looked to the bundle in his arms. Sarutobi's eyes narrowed when the man's widened and he waited for the servant to say the wrong thing.

"Is that…him?"

"Yes, it is."

The servant got a speculative look on his face and then smiled at Sarutobi, disarming the old man's cold look.

"The Yondaime wished him to be seen as a hero, correct? Therefore, in my eyes, he is a beloved hero. You need not fear Master, I will ensure that he is treated with respect in this household."

Sarutobi smiled at his most trusted servant and nodded.

"I thank you for that Aoi. It is most appreciated. Do me a favor would you? Gather the family and all the servants to the main room. I need to introduce our newest family member?"

Aoi's eyes widened and he stared awestruck at the babe.

"You mean…"

"Yes, he will be raised in this household. Now go, hurry."

"Yes Master! At once!"

Sarutobi sighed and took a seat as Aoi rushed off. It wouldn't be long now till the family began to file in. He readjusted the baby, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. He was old, getting on in years. He should be enjoying retirement now, not taking over the mantle he had given up only a short time ago. But there were none better qualified to take the job, and better him than some young fool who would do something stupid. Or an old war hawk who would like nothing better than to try to invade another country, even while the village was disabled.

A small tear wound its way down the crevices on Sarutobi's face. It wasn't fair that one as young as Namikaze Minato had died. He was in the prime of life, a new father, a loving husband, and a damn fine Hokage. But fate is a fickle mistress and the young man had everything taken from him in an instant. All in service of a village that would just as soon see his legacy dead, his family gone, all while singing his praises. Sarutobi wondered if they ever thought of the hypocrisy of it all.

His eyes opened when he heard the shuffle of feet and opened his eyes to see the face of his son, peering down at the sleeping form of Naruto. His eyes softened when he saw his son's newly wed wife standing behind him.

"Hello you two. Come to pay your respects to an old man?"

Sarutobi's son laughed and watched as his wife picked up the baby. He noticed that his father gave the child up reluctantly, no doubt because of the tension in the air surrounding the child's origins and identity.

"Don't worry father. Eri will not harm the boy. In fact, she seems rather fond of him already."

"How could I not? He's so precious. And look at those cute little marks on his face. What are those, a birthmark?"

Sarutobi sighed and smiled at her.

"You could say that. They mark him as the container of the Kyuubi. And they'll stay with him for life."

He watched as Eri tensed and held the boy at arms length for a moment, before taking him back to her breast and stroking his feathery soft hair.

"I don't care. He's just a small child that was born at the wrong time. If you need me to, I'll raise him as my own. It'll give me good practice for when Yahiko and I have our own child."

Sarutobi smiled and allowed himself to relax in the plush chair, as his son and daughter-in-law cooed and lavished praise over the baby. He watched with a bemused expression as the servants filtered in one by one, and the females all took a turn holding him before he ended up back in Eri's arms. The old Hokage grunted as his bones creaked when he rose from the plushy chair and put his hands behind his back.

"Now that he's been passed around a few times, I'd like to thank all of you for welcoming young Naruto to our home. He will be living here with us and will be raised among us. He is to be given the respect he deserves, but do not spoil him. Do not treat him as royalty. He is to grow to be a humble child, one filled with generosity and kindness."

Yahiko turned his head to gaze at the now sleeping baby in his wife's arms.

"So he is to be a Sarutobi?"

"No, he is to be Uzumaki Naruto. I have decided that he will be my chosen heir for the title of Hokage."

A small murmur swept the room and Aoi, ever the loyal servant, felt compelled to ask if this was the right decision. Sarutobi smiled at his most trusted servant and fished his pipe out of his pocket.

"Of course it is. The boy is destined for great things, so why not the greatest thing of all? The village may not like him, may even hate him, but they will respect him. Of this I swear on our clan's name. He will be the epitome of a ninja in every way and when he rises to take the mantle I shall raise and train him to take, he will be the best. He will surpass us all."

Eri smoothed the baby's hair and grinned when he fidgeted and turned his face away.

"Father, I want to raise this child. I want to show him that though the world may hate him, there are those who will always be there for him."

"That's very good Eri. You and Yahiko, along with everyone else, will show this boy love and how to be a good person."

"And you father? What will you be showing him?"

"Why Yahiko, I thought I made that clear. I will be showing him everything about being a Hokage. I plan for him to be helping me with sorting paperwork by the time he is six or seven, signing documents by eight, and perhaps assigning missions by the time he is ten."

"You can't be serious Master. He will be much too young to do such things and what of the academy? A boy should have friends his age."

"I've already thought of that Aoi. And he will have friends his age. I believe that Hyuuga Hiashi has a child due to be born soon and it should make a wonderful playmate. The other clan heads all have children to be born soon or have already had children. Don't worry, he won't be a recluse. I'll make sure of that myself."

Yahiko, while happy his father had thought this through so far, was still unsettled by one detail.

"And the council? They are greedy, power hungry fools and may attempt to harm the boy."

Sarutobi's eyes flashed dangerously and Yahiko was somewhat sorry he'd spoken up.

"They will do nothing! If they know what is good for them, they will leave the boy alone and under my care. Minato would want his son to be cared for and damn it all if I won't see his wishes honored."

All eyes in the household grew wide and Sarutobi cursed himself for losing his cool in an impassioned speech. Eri's eyes were the widest and most tear-filled.

"So, he is the Yondaime's son. He looks just like him now that I think about it. So tragic that this poor baby loses his parents and all that is entitled to him the day he is born."

"Aye, and I expect you all to keep that secret. You don't want to know what the punishment may be. His father had many enemies, outside the village and within, and I won't have him pay for his father's endeavors."

She sat down in a chair and held little Naruto close to her bosom as the tears streamed down her face.

"It just isn't fair father. And the fact that most of this village would rather see him dead…it sickens me."

"Aye, Eri, it sickens me too. But that is why we must work to make them see his virtues and not the sins that are not his own. His life will be a constant uphill battle and we must be there to help him every step of the way."

Yahiko sat on the arm of the chair and put an arm around his wife's shoulders.

"To think that we would help raise a national hero's son…it's like something out of a fairy tale. The tragedy of a lost prince, orphaned at birth, who comes to be found by kind, benevolent, childless people who only want to see him raised into a fine young man."

Sarutobi smiled at his son's wistful thinking. Yahiko had always been the more studious and philosophical of the two boys and was sure to instill his knowledge and love of literature into Naruto. Not that Sarutobi wouldn't beat the finer points of linguistics and books into his head…by force if necessary.

"I'm happy to hear that you feel that way Yahiko. Now, it is late and we must all retire for the night."

Eri looked at her father-in-law with big soulful eyes.

"Father, may I keep him for the night?"

Sarutobi laughed as he headed for his room. Tomorrow would be an eventful day for Konohagakure.

"Of course you may Eri. He's your son now after all. I'll have a crib commissioned in the morning."

He didn't see the smile on her face when he told her Naruto was _her_ son, but he could literally feel the warmth on his back.

'Tomorrow, I must face the council again and detail my plans. Soon, this world will see the Will of Fire again and will know its awesome might.'

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Sarutobi awoke the next morning feeling just a little more lighthearted than usual. Despite the obvious difficulties he would face that day, he was happy knowing that the house was livelier than normal. One would be correct in saying that the small bundle of sunshine he'd brought home had been a shining spot in the bleak aftermath of the Kyuubi's attack.

As he walked down the halls, he nodded and smiled at the servants, who returned both gestures with an unusual flair. He wondered about that until he came to the kitchen, where Eri was feeding the baby and several bottles were stacked beside her. The poor girl looked dismayed and immediately looked to the old man for answers. She was no expert in children, but this wasn't normal. Sarutobi laughed as he took a seat and was served his breakfast.

"I see you've run afoul of the infamous Namikaze appetite. Don't worry dear, it's perfectly normal for him."

"But father, it isn't normal for a baby to eat so much. Where is he putting it all?"

That old familiar chuckle rumbled in Sarutobi's throat and he wiped a tear away from his eye.

"Oh Eri, you just don't know yet. Wait until he learns to walk. You won't be able to keep up with him. Trust me when I say he's storing up energy for later."

The girl looked skeptical but kept silent as the blonde finished off yet _another_ bottle. She sighed as he whined, obviously for more. Sighing, she got up to make another. Hopefully, the newborn's appetite would abate with the coming years.

She apparently had forgotten that the more you grow, the more you need to keep going.

Sarutobi laughed with great vigor as he headed to his office. It seemed the grocery bills would be very high for the Sarutobi clan in the coming years.

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The old man sat eyeing them all warily as they filed in and took their seats. He glared at his unwanted rival Danzo and made a sign for the door to be shut. Standing before the assembly, he knocked out his pipe before putting in a fresh blot of tobacco and lighting it. Anything to help calm his nerves was appreciated. He took a deep draught as the smoke filled his lungs and exhaled slowly. The flavor was exquisite. Slowly, he opened his eyes and coughed to get attention.

"We are gathered today to address several issues. I realize that most of you have pressing matters with your clans and families so I will not detain you long. I merely wish to say that until the village is back in order, we will suspend all missions for a while. Not for long though, we can't afford to look too weak. Now are there any concerns you would like to address?"

Inuzuka Tsume, ever the eloquent lady, voiced her opinion.

"Yeah, I have one. It concerns the young pup you were carrying last night. What became of him and what will become of him?"

"Ah, straight to the point as usual eh Tsume? I have told you already, he is under my protection and I am going to raise him to be a loyal Konoha ninja and my successor. As of now, I am instigating a law that will make it a crime punishable by death to mention that Naruto carries within him the Kyuubi. It will not be discussed and will not be tolerated. This will be released to the mass populace and made so that they understand the severity of the law. I will not tolerate attacks or unnecessary enmity against my apprentice."

His eyes swept the room and he leveled a glare at those he knew to be problem causers.

"If there are any objections to my plan, then by all means, speak now or forever hold your peace. But know this, I will not change my mind. Your grievances are duly noted, but that boy caused none of them. And you won't have to face just me. My entire household has sworn to protect the boy and raise him as one of our own."

Before any could protest, Hyuuga Hiashi stood and bowed his head to the Hokage.

"I, Hyuuga Hiashi, swear upon my clan that we will honor the Yondaime's wishes and protect the boy. Any help needed we will offer."

"Yeah, yeah, I, Inuzuka Tsume, swear upon my clan's honor that the pup will be protected. We'll teach him whatever is needed."

"Tch, troublesome. We of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio offer our protection of the boy."

Sarutobi raised his eyebrow at Shikato and sighed.

"Do you really speak for all three of you Nara?"

"Yes I do. Whatever one decides is for the best, the others will follow. And we always followed the Yondaime's wishes."

Sarutobi nodded and watched as the Aburame's swore to protect Naruto with whatever necessary means. The lesser clans followed suit until it came to the Uchihas. Sarutobi frowned, knowing that Fugaku was a foolish man and wouldn't offer anything.

"I, Uchiha Fugaku, will not offer my clan's protection to this…_thing_. I have offered my views on this fallacy and will not offer my support to the cause."

Hiashi turned cold eyes to Fugaku.

"So you would not honor a dead man, a Hokage and fellow ninja's, last wish? That is…troubling, Uchiha. Most troubling."

"And I say that letting that monster run loose is troubling Hyuuga. We've never seen eye to eye so it is no surprise that we differ on this opinion. I choose to see the truth while the rest of you are blinded by this old man's optimism concerning a supposedly innocent child. But who's to say it's truly innocent?"

Danzo nodded to his fellow naysayer's words and gave Sarutobi a smirk. It would be tough to wiggle out of that argument. Sarutobi, much to his chagrin, didn't look rattled in the least.

"Tell me Fugaku, did you trust the Yondaime?"

"Yes."

"Did you believe in him as a leader?"

"Yes."

"Did you believe him a more capable leader than me?"

"Without doubt. Your time has passed."

"I see. So you believed in the Yondaime, followed his rule when he was alive, but fail to trust him in death."

Fugaku looked confused and asked what Sarutobi meant.

"That seal was designed by our beloved Yondaime Hokage and as such, it would fall to reason that you would trust in the man to know what he is doing. You have just contradicted yourself Fugaku. You claim to trust the man and yet you don't trust him. Which is it?"

Fugaku was absolutely livid. He looked to Danzo for support but found none as the man was gazing intently ahead of himself. He gritted his teeth and bowed his head to the Hokage.

"I trust in the Yondaime but my decision stands firm. I will not help this…_child_…further his development. You will receive no help from the Uchiha clan."

"As long as you don't hinder his growth I will ask for none. Now, are there any other objections to my plan?"

"Yes, even though its troublesome, what of the boy's social development? If he is to be a Hokage, he will need to interact with and develop bonds with people his age and earn the trust of the villagers."

"Nara, I will not lie. The villagers will be a difficult task. However, I would ask all the clans that have agreed to help to allow the boy into your homes and not to ostracize him. Allow him to play and interact with your children and allow friendship to blossom. Let him learn what he can from you, see the different ways of families, allow him into your hearts. My daughter-in-law has already taken him in as hers."

He chuckled before speaking again.

"I would suggest you not to make her angry by being mean to her child. You all know how mothers get when their children are wrongfully abused."

The gathered council members chuckled at the weak joke and Sarutobi clapped his hands, signifying the end of that particular business.

"Now that that's taken care of, let's move on to other topics. Such as the rebuilding of certain quarters…"

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Sarutobi arrived home late that night, completely tired out. The populace had been ecstatic that he'd been renamed Hokage, as he was a familiar face and they already knew how his rule would go. He was a kind, soft-spoken man and had an infinite well of patience. He smiled when he saw Eri trying to calm a frantic Naruto, shushing him and cradling him.

"Hello there Eri, you seem to be quite distraught. What seems to be the problem?"

The girl looked up at him distressed.

"Oh thank goodness you're home father, I can't get Naruto to calm down. He just won't quit crying. What do I do?"

"Let me have him. Have you checked his diaper?"

"Yes, it's dry."

"Has he been fed?"

She gave him an exasperated look and sighed.

"The boy eats more than half this household. I bet he went through a whole gallon of milk today."

"Have you tried to lull him to sleep?"

"Father, please. I've tried everything."

"Hmm…allow me to try this."

Sarutobi sat in a chair; cradling the hysterical Naruto in his arms and formed a few hand signs as Eri watched. She sat enraptured as wind picked up and began to blow around the baby, caressing his cheeks and hair and a small whistling tune played around his ear. She watched in awe as his crying stopped and his eyes began to droop. He kept opening and closing his mouth until Sarutobi took a pacifier and popped it into his mouth. He grew concerned when he heard a slight popping sound and pulled it out of the baby's mouth and eyed it carefully?

'Puncture marks?'

He looked over at Eri and smiled.

"I believe he's teething. That's the problem. You'll need to invest in something for him to chew on tomorrow."

Her eyes widened and she lifted his lips back to expose the tips of two pointy white molars where his canines should be.

"But…but father, he shouldn't be teething this early. It isn't natural."

"No, it's not. But neither is it natural for a baby to hold the most powerful beast ever. I can only imagine what surprises he'll hold in store for us in the future. This is just one of them. Perhaps…he will even manifest a bloodline not seen for centuries."

"A…bloodline? Which one?"

Sarutobi turned his eyes to his daughter and smiled.

"One that is based entirely on stealth and is one of the greatest ever seen. I can only hope that the dormant genes required for it come forward in him."

"What did it do?"

"Well records are sketchy and I'll need to research to find out if its even possible, but Minato's wife told me one time that her family had a most peculiar bloodline that went back to the beginning of the ninjas."

"Wait Minato had a wife?"

"Aye and she was most beautiful. But that is for another time. I do remember the name of the bloodline however."

"What is it?"

His eyes twinkled and he grinned at the baby sleeping in his arms.

"She called it…the Melt."

**Don't expect this to be updated for quite a while. I plan to finish at least one story before I begin on this. It will be started on soon hopefully though. Just be patient and thank you again for reading.**


	2. Is He Supposed to Do That?

TaDa! The second chapter of The Melt is here. I'll try to update this periodically, maybe even work it in on my every three days schedule, but don't get any hopes up. Hope you enjoy it. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...**Workin' for MCA**_ by Lynyrd Skynyrd_

**CHAPTER TWO**

Naruto grew quickly and happily in the Sarutobi household and the family was better off for it. His mother and father were devoted to raising him right. At age one he was toddling around the house, getting into all kinds of trouble. To Eri's distress, his appetite only grew with his age and there were several instances where she had to send a servant to the market while he was _still_ being fed.

The little boy's two teeth had come in fully at the age of six months and at first, everyone was alarmed that they were _fangs._ Yahiko had put it best by bluntly spurting out…

"He looks like a goddamned vampire."

Sarutobi could only guess that it was part of the influence of having the Kyuubi sealed within him, a defense mechanism that, even while he was still technically defenseless, if someone stuck a finger near his mouth they'd be pulling back a punctured digit. The boy had quite the jaw power for a babe…

Year two saw the bundle of perpetual energy running the entire Sarutobi compound ragged. If he didn't want to be caught, he wasn't going to be caught. He didn't sleep, he took powernaps and then was back on his feet. By then he had gotten all of his teeth and was eating solids, creating an even larger food bill. Sarutobi was just glad that his family was provided for by the village. If they were to ever wonder why his food stipend was so large, they'd be outraged.

The boy ate like a horse…and what pocket dimension he stored the food in was beyond the aging Hokage.

In his third year he had begun to meet the other children of the clans. As if by some miracle (or Kishimoto's plot driven, backwards-assed, Uchiha loving mind) all the clan heads had produced heirs at around the same time. Naruto's first stop with his parents and grandfather was the Hyuuga household, where he met Neji and Hinata.

Neji was a polite little boy, always smiling, even though he had received the curse seal. His cousin Hinata was a shy girl by nature and had hidden behind her father's legs when the Sarutobis walked in with Naruto.

Her world had been filled with dreariness and brunettes, pale skin and impassive faces. An inquisitive, energetic blonde haired boy with tan skin and whisker marks was a wonder of the world to her. Sarutobi had ushered him forward toward the little girl and smiled down.

"Go on, tell her your name."

The blonde had smiled, showing off his fangs and making the little girl cock her head in awe. It was like the sun had walked in.

"Nawuto. Who you?"

She had looked down at the ground, finding her toes very interesting at the moment.

"Hinata."

Neji had approached him as well, out of curiosity. Hizashi had tried to catch him, but he was already too far-gone. Naruto saw the boy approaching and turned to him with a million-watt smile.

"Who you?"

"I'm Neji."

Naruto squinted his eyes and pointed at Neji's bandaged forehead.

"Boo-boo?"

"No."

Naruto grinned again and latched onto Hinata's hand.

"Wanna Pway?"

Sarutobi chuckled as the three toddled outside, throwing a ball back and forth. Hizashi attempted to apologize for Neji's abruptness, but was stopped by Hiashi.

"Let them be children for a while Hizashi. It won't be long until we won't be able to watch them play."

To say Hizashi was stunned, was an understatement. His brother was usually cold toward him and Neji. He'd expected worse.

Sarutobi just smiled. Naruto had that effect on people.

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The other children were just as easy to get along with. Kiba was just as energetic as Naruto and the golden haired child loved going to the Inuzuka compound to play with the dogs. He'd vehemently decreed that he wanted a ninken, but Sarutobi told him no.

The boy had pouted for a solid week until his grandfather whacked him over the head with a rolled up newspaper and told him to be a big boy.

The Aburames were another interesting group to him. Shino didn't talk much but Naruto did enough blabbering for both of them. The bug users were always happy to have him over…especially since he sometimes brought them bugs he'd found.

The Ino-Shika-Cho trio were usually found together at one house or another. They loved having Naruto around. He was naturally inquisitive and Shikamaru found him a natural for board games, even if they were child games. Chouji was ecstatic to find someone who ate as much as he did. Ino was happy to have another boy to boss around. She enjoyed being the queen bee.

Naruto's fourth year found a few changes in his carefree life however.

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Hizashi, a man he had come to like immensely, was gone not long after he had met him. He had sacrificed himself to save his village and family and several changes had occurred in the Hyuuga family as a result. Neji, for one, had become introverted and never wanted to play anymore. Hinata had become shyer because of the pressure put on her, but whenever Naruto was around, she would perk up. He was her best, and only, friend in the world and he never ceased to cheer her up.

His other friends didn't have as much time to play anymore either, as their parents began to inundate them into their clans' jutsus and training regimens. The last time he had seen them all was at a party to celebrate his grandfather's birthday.

Imagine his surprise when, the day after his fourth birthday, his grandfather appeared before him, not with his usual kind smile, but that of a man on a mission.

"Come with me Naruto. Your training for your future begins today. I've waited long enough."

Naruto stood and followed his grandfather without question. Once they were on the grounds behind the house, he felt compelled to ask why they were out there. Sarutobi sighed heavily and knelt down to eye-level.

"There are several truths that I will have to share with you at some point Naruto, but I can't right now. You're simply too young for what I have to tell you. However, that does not mean I won't start preparing you for the task I have set for you."

"What am I going to be doing?"

"I'm going to train you to be a Hokage, Naruto. I'm going to train you to take over my job when I'm done."

Naruto's eyes went wide. He didn't know what all his grandfather did, but he was a widely loved and respected man. Everywhere they went, people bowed and spoke in reverent tones to the man. He couldn't do whatever the man did! He wasn't good enough!

Sarutobi saw the doubt in the young boy's eyes and grabbed him by the shoulders.

"I know you're young Naruto and you want to play with your friends, but this is a task you were chosen for. There is no one else more qualified to lead this village after my time is up. I know you can do it Naruto and I'm going to help you."

The little blonde gave his grandfather a solemn look of determination and grinned.

"Don't worry. I won't let you down. I'll do whatever you need me to do."

Sarutobi smiled and stood back up. He had a rough time ahead of him.

"That's good to hear Naruto. Now, tell me, what do you know about being a ninja?"

Naruto's eyes lit up.

"Ninjas are really cool! They can do all kinds of stuff and they're really strong."

"Ah! And who do you think is the strongest ninja in this village?"

Naruto put his finger to his chin and thought for a moment.

"I dunno. Umm…I really don't know."

Sarutobi chuckled and patted the boy's head.

"I'm the strongest ninja in this village Naruto."

Naruto stared up at Sarutobi, completely baffled.

"But…but you can't be the strongest. You're…well, you know…"

Sarutobi held in his laughter, already knowing what was going to be said.

"I'm what?"

Naruto shrunk in on himself, trying to will himself smaller.

"You're…you know…old."

"Yes, I'm old, but that doesn't make me any less strong. With age comes wisdom, and while I'm not as physically strong as I was when I was younger, I have years of experience and cunning to draw on. I'm strong because of my mind, not my body."

"Jiji, can you teach me to be strong?"

"Hai, I can. And we'll start today. I want you to put on this suit and we'll get started."

Naruto grunted as he shrugged on the body suit.

"It's heavy Jiji."

"I know. That's a weighted bodysuit designed to improve your muscles. We'll work on your body during the day and your mind at night. Now hop to it and give me ten laps around the yard."

As Naruto struggled around, adjusting to his new weight, Sarutobi was having a mildly heated discussion with Eri.

"He's too young for this father. He's only four, he doesn't need to be learning everything you're going to teach him at this age."

"He needs to start now Eri. The sooner I start the sooner we can have a Hokage that can protect this village and put an end to all the petty in-squabbling of the council and people."

"But he's so little! Look at him struggling! He's not ready."

The old Hokage sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Eri, I love you like my daughter, but we've been through this several times since he turned two. He needs to start now, while his mind is young and malleable."

His face turned grim and Eri felt a little bit of fear. This was no longer her father-in-law, this was The Professor.

"His life will not be an easy one. We've given him a home and love, yes, but outside these walls is an ugly, dirty, hate-filled world. I want him to be ready for that, especially when I turn the evidence of his birth over to the public. His mother and father had many enemies within the village as well as outside our walls. He has to be able to protect himself and strike down those who would do him or this village harm."

His gaze softened a bit and his age began to show a little more.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this, you know? I'm not supposed to be Hokage, and he's not supposed to be an orphan. His father was supposed to be teaching him right now, in between running a village and dealing with the neighboring villages. He was supposed to learn about his family from his parent's mouths, not from a dusty scroll or a surrogate grandfather. But either way, he is destined for bigger things than you or I could imagine. And that starts today."

He turned to see Naruto huffing and puffing on his last lap and when the boy had finished, he called him over.

"Drop and give me fifty each of pushups and sit-ups, then do thirty jumping jacks. After that, we'll begin the fun stuff. Remember to stretch out once you're finished."

Naruto nodded his head tiredly and began his exercises. If this was part of his future job, he wasn't very enthusiastic so far. Sarutobi, meanwhile, had ducked back inside, leaving a Kage Bunshin to keep watch. He stood in front of Yahiko and Eri, outlining his plan.

"Now look. I know you two aren't very overjoyed with what I'm doing, but you'll have to get past that. I need your help as we mold him into a Hokage. Eri, your job is to make sure he eats more healthy things. You can spoil him every now and then, but his diet is going to have to make a drastic change. Yahiko, I want you to teach him to read. Instill a love of literature into him. I want the two of you to also ensure that he keeps up with his friends."

Yahiko scowled and put his arm around his wife's shoulders. She was beginning to show her pregnancy and he didn't want her working too hard.

"By instill, you mean force. I don't like this dad. It reminds me of the way the Uchiha raised Itachi."

Sarutobi glared at his son and held his hands behind his back.

"The one, shining difference between the way Itachi was raised and Naruto is being raised is that I don't see him as a stepping stone to further my own ambitions. This is the only thing he can do in life. Do you think any civilians would hire him to work for them? No, of course they wouldn't. So, he'll be a shinobi and I'm training him to be the best of the best. I'm not training him to be a normal ninja, I'm training him to be a _Hokage_."

"But what is the difference? Itachi was raised to be the ultimate Uchiha. The boy literally has no emotions."

"And Naruto _does_. I won't deprive him of his humanity, but I will not leave him to the wolves unprepared. Excuse me, my student is done with his exercises."

Yahiko and Eri watched in silence as the older Sarutobi walked out.

"I still don't like this. It's wrong to decide a child's future for them."

Yahiko sighed and pulled his wife in closer. He understood where his wife was coming from and he agreed, but Naruto's future was already chosen the day he was born.

"It is wrong. But the Yondaime sealed any of the boy's alternative paths by sealing the Kyuubi within him. This is the only path he can take and dad is just making sure he can walk it with his head held high. The only thing we can do is help and make sure he retains his humanity."

Eri rubbed the small bulge on her tummy and reached up to kiss her husband on the lips.

"As long as he never loses that brilliant smile of his, I'll be happy."

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Sarutobi came out to a wide-eyed Naruto standing quietly in the yard.

"Jiji, how did you do that? You turned into smoke and disappeared."

'Excellent, an inquisitive young mind…'

"That is part of what I shall teach you in the years to come. That was a Kage Bunshin, a form of clone used for information gathering and fighting. It will be an important tool for learning later. Right now, you need the basics. We're going to learn how to mold chakra."

"What's chakra?"

Sarutobi smiled and put himself into Professor mode. He loved to impart wisdom to the younger generation.

"Chakra is made by meshing together spiritual and physical energy. You just have to unlock it so we can begin to mold it into something else."

"How?"

"Concentrate on a force inside you. A stream that seems to flow through you and try to guide that stream somewhere outside its natural flow. That should unlock it."

He watched as Naruto sat down and began to concentrate. Sarutobi was practically giddy with excitement. Here he was, with another student, about to begin the lessons that would last a lifetime. He watched hopefully as Naruto's face scrunched in concentration and struggle. Slowly, but surely, the chakra began to trickle out. Sarutobi was happy for his student and was about to tell him to stop when he felt the flow of chakra increase and his eyes widened.

"Naruto, you can stop now."

The boy apparently was in too much of a trance to hear him. His face was still screwed into that look of utter concentration. Sarutobi began to sweat when the blue chakra started to be easily seen. It shouldn't be possible for a child to produce that much.

"Naruto! Stop now!"

Naruto still didn't hear him and the chakra flow was so powerful now that it attracted the entirety of the Sarutobi household. Yahiko and Eri stood in wonder as the boy was bathed in the ethereal blue glow. Eri, who was a civilian, could even see it.

"Father, is he supposed to do that?"

"No, he's not! Naruto, stop this at once!"

The small blonde was now shaking from the force of chakra being expelled and Sarutobi did the only thing he could think of to stop it.

He chopped Naruto on the back of the neck and watched with bated breath as the blue chakra receded.

'Well, at least he unlocked it. But what awesome power!'

Sarutobi turned to his family and servants and put on his most intimidating face.

"Whatever you just saw here, never leaves here, understood?"

Aoi, despite the fact he might get in trouble, decided to ask the unspoken question.

"Master, is it normal for a child to have such power?"

Sarutobi frowned and looked back to the konked out child.

"No, it isn't. But then again, we all know he isn't normal by any conventional means. With chakra that powerful, and at such a young age…it'll probably take quite a while to train him to use it effectively. I hope not, but that is usually the case with those with power."

Yahiko picked his son up off the ground and started back toward the house.

"I think that's enough physical training for today dad. I'll start him on some history and theory tonight."

Sarutobi smiled and cracked his aching back.

"Yes, that might be an ideal thing for today. I have a few things to tend to at the tower. Tell Naruto we'll start again tomorrow."

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Naruto had not been happy with his schedule of learning. He remembered letting his chakra go and it flaring wildly out of control as he tried to rein it in. He remembered getting chopped in the neck and he remembered getting fussed at by his mother once he awoke.

He remembered reading about the history of Konoha and starting on a book of jutsu theory with his father, which he found utterly boring. His father had bopped him over the head with a book and told him that he needed to know this. When asked why, a contemplative look came over his face.

"Because knowledge is power Naruto. Let's say you're fighting someone. You know what your opponent is capable of. He knows what you're capable of. But neither of you have any updated information on each other for the past six months. If he tries a move you've never met before, what will you do?"

"Get away."

"Wrong. That's what normal people do. It might be a jutsu that spreads out as it goes, covering more area, but losing power. It might be a straightforward shot. You need to be able to analyze these things and choose your path accordingly."

"Then why am I reading this? Why can't I just train?"

"This is training son. You're training your mind to know what to do. The body can't react if the mind doesn't know what it's doing."

Naruto nodded slowly, letting the information seep in.

"So if I read everything I can, I'll get really smart and be able to figure things out more quickly?"

"In a nutshell, yes. It's more complicated than that, but that's the gist of it."

Naruto silently picked up his book on history and started to read again. Yahiko had never been more proud of his son, but soon, he had to help him again.

"Hey dad, what's a kawarimi?"

And so had began their nightly sessions.

Currently, Naruto was lying in bed asleep. Not that he knew it, but his alarm clock said four o'clock and a sinister figure stood beside his bed. The figure lifted its hand, with possibly a weapon, and began to tilt it downward.

And Naruto was introduced to the concept of a cold glass of water in the morning if he didn't wake up when he was supposed to…

Sarutobi watched amused as his grandson spit and sputtered and thrashed around on the bed. Once he was finished, Sarutobi cleared his throat and threw the training suit at him.

"Get dressed and meet me downstairs. We're going on a run."

Naruto grumbled as he made his way downstairs, the suit seeming to be heavier than it was yesterday. He looked around for his grandfather and found him outside, standing with his hands on his hips, twisting and bending in several directions. Naruto walked outside to find the old man in a black ninja outfit, totally contrasting his usual white robes.

"Ah, good morning. Awake now are we?"

Naruto mumbled under his breath and nodded.

"Good. Now we're going to run one lap around the village. Every two weeks we'll increase it by one lap, keeping with the same time limit."

"But JiJi, I can't run that fast."

"You don't have to run fast, you just have to complete the task. We'll worry about speed later. Right now, I want to condition your body so that you can complete whatever I give you to do. Now let's go."

"But JiJi…"

Sarutobi turned a stern eye to his grandson and Naruto cringed under the glare.

"During these times, I am your _sensei_ Naruto and I expect you to show me the proper respect. You may not like me sometimes during our training, but you will respect me. I may love you like a grandson, but that does not mean I will tolerate insubordination from you."

Naruto's eyes widened.

"What do you mean 'like a grandson'?"

Sarutobi cursed under his breath. That had been an unwanted slip of the tongue. He put on a smile and patted the boy's head, diffusing the situation.

"It was a slip of the tongue Naruto. Now let's go."

The boy nodded his head and they jogged off into the morning.

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Naruto lay on his back panting. His run had turned into quite a spectacle when they'd run afoul of a certain green clad jounin. Naruto had been fascinated with the man's eyebrows, but had remained quiet as Sarutobi and Gai spoke while running.

Gai had been impressed that a four year old was out on a run with the Hokage and had voiced his pleasure at having found one with 'great flames of youth'. He had offered to help train Naruto whenever he could in taijutsu and Sarutobi readily accepted. He couldn't be around all the time…

Naruto was happy when their run ended. He might be an endless bundle of energy but he was still a child and his muscles were not yet developed fully. Before he could enjoy the respite, Sarutobi called him over to begin his morning calisthenics. By the time they got around to jutsus, Naruto was nearly on empty…until Sarutobi told him they were going to be manipulating his chakra.

Naruto had studied the previous night with his father on some of the things that one could do with chakra and right now he was like a kid with a new toy…which he essentially was. Sarutobi was quick to remind him of the seriousness of their training with a bop on the head.

"We're here to train your body Naruto, not waste energy. If you have time and energy to jump around, then you have time to put more effort into learning."

"I'm sorry Ji…I mean, sensei. I'm just excited about some of the things I read I could do with chakra last night."

Sarutobi smiled and put his hands behind his back.

"That's all well and good Naruto, but I need to get you to the point where you can actually mold the chakra into a jutsu. You're still young and therefore your control won't be all that great but that's where this comes in."

He held up a leaf and Naruto's face scrunched in confusion.

"That's a leaf sensei. What does that have to do with anything?"

"I want you to be able to hold this leaf to your forehead, using only chakra, before I'll teach you any kind of jutsu. Once you've mastered this exercise, we'll add more leaves to different parts of your body and let you climb trees."

"How long will this take?"

The old Hokage shrugged and grinned at his student.

"That all depends on your skill, determination, and mindset. If you set out to do something, do it. Don't half-ass it. Don't skip out on this training either. I won't teach you anything until you learn it. Now try to imagine your chakra as a suction cup to keep the leaf to your forehead. I have some things to take care of at the tower, but I'll be back soon to see how you're progressing."

Naruto nodded and picked up the leaf, settling into a cross-legged stance against a tree. Sarutobi watched with pride as he put the leaf on his forehead, only to huff in agitation as it blew away. He turned in the doorway to find his son staring at him.

"Well? How's he coming along?"

"He's…impatient and brash, but then again, he's four. I've never taught a student that young. He has promise though. He kept up with both me and Gai on our morning run with us at a quarter speed."

Yahiko's eyes widened and he smiled.

"That's my boy. He'll do just fine. I'm going to make him start on the next chapter of jutsu theory tonight."

"That's good. I think we should designate a day or two where he can go and play with his friends though, especially Hinata. He brightens her and the rest of the Hyuuga's day when he visits. That family needs a good dose of cheer."

"I agree. I'll arrange a play date later. Hinata will be ecstatic to see him."

"Indeed. Well, I must be off. Someone has to kill the paperwork after all. Keep an eye on Naruto for me. Make sure he's doing that exercise right."

Yahiko nodded and went back inside the house. He found Eri sitting in a chair, lightly rubbing the small bulge in her stomach.

"Are you still fretting over the baby? Don't worry about it."

"How can I not worry about it? Naruto is still a handful and to have another child running around…"

Yahiko sighed as he sat on the arm of the chair and kissed her on the forehead.

"You have to remember that not all children are like Naruto. This one will be a cakewalk compared to him when he was a baby. It won't eat as much…hopefully."

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Sarutobi sighed as he walked back through the gates of his home. He had taken longer than he thought and had missed the rest of Naruto's training. He regretted that, but knew the boy would understand. He was thoroughly surprised to find that Naruto didn't greet him at the door.

He searched for a while before finding the boy reading the jutsu theory book with Yahiko, a leaf stuck to his forehead. He smiled proudly. Things would go more smoothly from here.

**Hope you enjoyed the second helping. More on Naruto's friendships and training in the next chapter. Gonna try to take this story kind of slow, so don't expect any really big time leaps.**


	3. Childhood Friends

And here's Chapter 3. Hope you guys enjoy this next installment. Look for MOTZ next. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...**Satellite**_ by P.O.D._

**CHAPTER THREE**

Naruto panted as he rose from the ground. He'd been thrown there quite harshly by his sensei and it had hurt…a lot. This particular taijutsu style was hard to learn and required concentration from him on several levels. Sarutobi insisted on teaching him Shaolin Monkey-style since it was a fast paced, acrobatic style that promoted counters and quick strikes. He grunted as he stood upright and settled into the crouching stance again.

"Good. That was very good, but you need to be more flexible and not rush headlong into things. Again."

Naruto grimaced and analyzed what he saw before him. After almost a month, he was making considerable progress. He had the leaf exercise down to a fine art and constantly had a leaf affixed to his forehead, even as he sparred. The only time it fell was when he was unconscious. He'd begun to work leaves onto other parts of his body while he read with his father. His chakra control was excellent considering he started with nothing.

He rushed forward, low to the ground, and swept at his sensei's legs. Sarutobi picked his left leg up and sent it crashing back toward the ground. Naruto used the momentum he'd built up on the sweep to jerk himself into a handstand and lash out with a kick aimed at his mentor's chest. Sarutobi grabbed his foot and flung him toward a tree. Naruto caught himself at the last second by latching onto a branch and swinging up and over it, only to stop in a squatting position.

Sarutobi wiped his brow and watched his student with interest. Naruto had come quite a ways in just a month. For a four year old he was quite the astute learner and grasped things easily if given an example. Written word was even easier for him, as he could conceptualize what he had to do and figured it out for himself, usually bending it to accommodate certain aspects he found either uncomfortable or impossible.

"That's enough for today Naruto. It's almost time for you to go visit Hinata anyway. I have to go to the tower and fight a losing battle against paperwork. Be sure to get home in time for your evening lessons."

Naruto swung down from the branch and landed in a crouch. He stood upright and bowed toward his grandfather.

"Of course sensei. I'll do as you say."

Sarutobi smiled and waved him away. That signaled the end of their student-teacher role for the day and both were glad for it.

"Good. Now go have fun with Hinata and don't get into too much trouble."

"Allright JiJi. See you later."

Sarutobi grinned as the blonde made his way inside to take a bath before going to the Hyuuga household. He and Eri had begun to beat manners into the boy's head along with his training and he was pleasantly surprised to see that Naruto was well behaved…when he wanted to be. The boy was a natural born actor. If he didn't want to be seen as a child, he could imitate his grandfather to a 'T'. Just like his birth father…

Sarutobi shook the thought from his mind and went inside to change into his Hokage robes. He hated having to cut the boy's training short, especially since his stamina increased by the day. Perhaps it was time to have Gai intervene. Taijutsu was Gai's speciality and he could always keep Naruto's genjutsu and ninjutsu to himself. They'd have to find the boy a weapon soon too. He himself was more situated to bojutsu…and perhaps he'd introduce him to Enma. See what the old monkey thought about a possible new summoner.

But that was all for later…right now he had to prepare himself to stamp his name over and over and over…and over.

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Naruto hummed happily as his mother escorted him to the Hyuuga household. He loved to visit Hinata, she always made him feel wanted. It was the walk over that unnerved him. Whereas the clans welcomed him with open arms, the civilians sneered and made rude gestures toward him. Eri scowled at those who did so and they quickly turned away. She hated that they treated her son like this. They still held the Sarutobis in high regard but Naruto was treated as a pariah…and one day they'd have to explain why. She dreaded that day.

Naruto just thought that they didn't like him because he was treated well. Perhaps they didn't like that he was being trained by the Hokage. Maybe they thought it was favoritism above their own children. He just couldn't figure it out. He'd asked one of them before what he did to make them angry and the woman had gave him a look that, had daggers come out of her eyes, would have killed him.

"_You know what you did. And they treat you like a king for it."_

He didn't know what she meant by that. He'd asked his grandfather what she meant and the old man's face drooped and he clapped a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"_One day soon, I'll tell you the story. But until then, trust in me that all will be well."_

And he did. He did trust his grandfather, but the looks were becoming more and more baleful and hateful, searing into his memory. He was always happy when they arrived at one of his friend's houses. He couldn't wait to see Hinata again.

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Hinata was in her own little world. Her mother was pregnant with her what she hoped was a little sister and she was currently rubbing her tummy, trying to get the baby to kick. Her mother chuckled and pushed her tiny hand away.

"Hinata, the baby won't kick if you poke at it. Besides, it hasn't grown enough to do that yet."

"But…I wanted to play with my baby sister…"

"And how do you know it's a little girl?"

"Because you can choose the baby you want. Right?"

Himiko's laughter rang out through the room, sounding like a hundred merry bells. She truly loved her innocent little daughter.

"That's not entirely the way it works Hinata."

Suddenly they heard the sound of pounding feet and the door slid open to reveal a burst of sun-dropped hair.

"HINATA-CHAN!"

She barely had time to turn around before she was tackled by her best friend. Eri sighed from the doorway and picked him off the poor dazed little girl by the scruff of his neck.

"What have I told you about attacking Hinata like that?"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and looked down.

"Sorry, it's just I haven't seen her in over a week. I was just excited."

"It's ok Eri-san, he didn't hurt me."

Hinata's soft voice came from the floor as she picked herself up. Naruto turned to her and flashed a mega-watt grin.

"Wanna go annoy Neji? He's such a stick in the mud nowadays."

"I…I don't think we should bother him Naruto-kun. He's…not nice to be around now."

Naruto sighed in defeat and immediately put his smile back on.

"Wanna go see what Kiba's doing?"

Hinata turned to her mother and found her smiling.

"Go on, you two, have fun. Just take a guard with you."

Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand and ran out of the room, dragging the helpless little girl behind him, while shouting 'thank you' over his shoulder. Eri sighed heavily and took the cup of tea offered her from Himiko.

"Thank you. He is such a handful sometimes."

"Yes, but he brightens Hinata's day so much. Hiashi's too, even though he won't admit it. She needs to be around people like him. Our clan is too rigid and stoic. Neji isn't a good influence on her either."

"Has he gotten any better?"

Himiko sighed and rubbed her stomach absently.

"No, he hasn't. He's become even more withdrawn and sometimes I see him staring at Hinata with disdain. I just hope he doesn't become bitter toward her."

Eri nodded and took another sip of tea.

"So do I, because Naruto wouldn't stand for it. He's quite protective of her."

"Yes, he's like the big brother that Neji should be. If only our clan did things differently…"

The unspoken words hung in the air.

_Then everything would be better._

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Naruto raced through the streets of Konoha, a puffing Hyuuga behind him, carrying Hinata. The poor little girl just couldn't keep up with her more energetic friend. He stopped outside the gates of the Inuzuka compound and turned around to see a scowling, red-faced, branch-house Hyuuga.

"Naruto-sama, I would like to request _once again_, that you don't run off and leave Hinata-sama like that. It's very rude."

Naruto grinned sheepishly and bowed.

"I'm sorry Hyuuga-san. I'll try to be more careful next time."

The Hyuuga mumbled something under his breath that sounded like 'I'll bet' and sat the Hyuuga heiress down. Hinata tottered for a moment and then stood upright. She huffed indignantly and walked up to Naruto. She might be shy around people she didn't know and was quiet and gentle by nature, but Naruto's influence rubbed off on her after prolonged exposure.

"You left me again."

"I'm sorry."

Hinata sighed and bowed her head. She just couldn't stay angry with him for more than two seconds. He was too kind-hearted and apologetic.

"Just don't do it again please."

Naruto stood upright and grabbed her hand.

"Ok. Let's find Kiba."

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The two children walked through the grounds with their escort quietly, searching for their missing friend. Several dogs walked up to them, but when they smelled who it was they simply wagged their tails and left. Naruto was on good terms with most of the dogs in the kennel.

"And what have we here?"

The gruff voice came from behind them and Naruto immediately recognized it as the voice of one Kuromaru, the only dog that was indifferent to him at best. The dog seemed to keep shut of him if it could, but today he had come forward. Naruto squeezed Hinata's hand and she squeezed back for reassurance. She smiled slightly since it was very rare for her to reassure him. Kuromaru made his way in front of them and sat on his haunches.

"What are you two doing here? What is your business?"

Naruto put on his best possible impassive face he was learning from his grandfather and spoke softly.

"We're looking for Kiba. Have you seen him?"

"He's busy. Go home."

"Well, if we could just talk to him for a second."

"Leave."

Hinata saw that the dog's eyes were hardening slowly and that Naruto wasn't having any luck. Time to call in her trump card…her inability for anyone to truly hate her.

"Kuromaru-san, if we could just speak to him for a second…"

The one eyed dog turned its gaze to her and she shivered. The thing was more like a wolf than a dog.

"I said he's…"

"Kuromaru, what are you doing? Hello Naruto, Hinata."

The two bowed as one and spoke together.

"Hello, Tsume-sama."

Tsume eyeballed the two and her companion. She'd overheard everything, but wasn't about to give it away. She wanted answers for her companion's abruptness.

"How can I help you two youngsters today?"

"Can Kiba play today?"

Tsume smiled at them and pointed in the direction of the kennel.

"He can now. He's being punished for messing up one of his sister's things but I'll let him go for now. He can finish cleaning out the pens later."

Tsume smiled as the two ran off to the kennels and turned to Kuromaru with a hard eye.

"What was that all about?"

The dog had the decency to look ashamed.

"Forgive me, Tsume, but I can't help myself sometimes. He reeks of fox all the time."

Tsume sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"You know he's not the fox Kuromaru. Don't be that way toward him. One day he'll be strong enough to call you on your behavior and where will you be then? Where will those ignorant villagers be then?"

She left the dog to ponder that as she went back inside.

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Naruto and Hinata tried to sneak up on their friend but, as always, he smelled them coming.

"You two really shouldn't try to sneak up on me. I'll always smell you."

Hinata giggled as she watched Naruto sulk. He really was too funny when he was around Kiba.

"One day, I'll find a way to mask my scent and then you'll be sorry."

Kiba turned around and grinned at his friends.

"I doubt it. You smell like a fox. It's pretty hard not to find you."

Naruto put a finger to his chin and thought.

"I wonder why I smell like a fox. Mom got me a stuffed fox for a present one time and I sleep with it…"

"I don't think that's why you smell like a fox Naruto-kun."

Kiba grinned at Hinata and threw an arm around her neck.

"No one can explain why he smells like that. I asked mom about it and she just told me that people smell differently."

He took an experimental whiff of Hinata and she blushed.

"You smell like flowers…and cinnamon rolls."

Hinata pushed him away and hid behind Naruto.

"I do not smell…"

Naruto frowned at Kiba and turned away.

"We were gonna ask you to play and help you get out of trouble but since you hurt Hinata's feelings…"

Kiba immediately went on the defensive.

"But…Hinata! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Please forgive me. You smell really nice."

Hinata smiled and turned around. Being around Naruto also gave her the courage to be playful.

"But you were being a meanie…"

The Hyuuga watching sighed and looked up at the sky. It should be another fifteen minutes before they left for the park. The kids always did this…

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When the three arrived at the park, they found the other children there as well. Shikamaru and Chouji were lounging on the grass, watching the clouds and sharing a bag of chips, Shino was watching a mound of ants intently, and Ino was playing with a pink-haired girl.

Shikamaru and Chouji waved at the three and Kiba bounded over to them. Hinata turned loose of Naruto's hand and padded over to say hello to Shino. Naruto watched them go and turned his attention to Ino and the girl she was playing with. He watched with careful eyes as the civilian parents gathered up their children and began to leave, but shook it off. He strode towards Ino, flashing a brilliant grin.

"Hey Ino-chan. Whatcha doing?"

Ino smiled up at her friend and turned back to Sakura.

"I'm playing with Sakura. I met her a while ago and we're friends now. Sakura, this is…"

"Uzumaki Naruto. My mommy said he's a bad person."

Ino frowned at her new friend and looked back at Naruto.

"Well I don't think he's bad. He's a little loud, but he's not mean."

Sakura glanced over to where her mother was sitting and noticed the subtle motion for her to come. She stood and said goodbye to Ino before running off. Ino turned to Naruto and frowned at him.

"Now what did you do to her Naruto?"

His eyes widened and he put up his hands in defense.

"I didn't do anything Ino-chan. I just met her today. I don't know her."

Ino glared at him and stood up, huffing. She walked away toward her mother.

"I bet you did something mean Naruto. You ran off one of my new friends and I'm not talking to you."

Naruto watched her go with tears in his eyes. He didn't like it when people were mad at him for no reason. He lowered his head and sniffled, trying to keep the tears from falling.

"But I didn't do anything…"

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Hinata watched Ino leave and comforted Naruto by sitting on the swings with him until they left to take Kiba back home. Her day with Naruto was ruined and she felt bad that Ino had been mean to him. Kiba didn't know what to do once they dropped him off, so he just mumbled a goodbye and walked inside.

The Hyuuga knew that he had to take Naruto home now and as they walked, he reflected on what he had seen. It happened every time the boy tried to make new friends and now it appeared that he had lost one. Being every bit as sheltered as Hinata, Naruto had very few chances to interact with children his age and he treasured the friends he had. Losing Ino would be a big blow.

Hinata stood silently with her head bowed as they stood before the gates of the Sarutobi compound. Naruto looked up to see his best friend's downtrodden gaze and silently berated himself for bringing her day down. He put on a big grin and gave her a hug.

"It's not your fault Hinata-chan. I know what you're thinking. Don't be like that. Ino-chan is just being a dummy-head. I'll see you next time ok?"

Hinata gazed up into his eyes and gave him a small smile. She was glad he was strong for both of them. His strength was beginning to rub off on her.

"I'm sorry about Ino-chan, Naruto-kun. She shouldn't have said such mean things."

"It's ok. I'm fine. Don't be sad Hinata-chan. Smile for me."

She gave him a big smile and he grinned as he gave her another hug. With a wave he was gone inside the compound and she and the Hyuuga guard began the trek home. Hinata gave another glance back and smiled.

'Naruto-kun will be fine.'

The Hyuuga guard smiled when he saw her perk up and walk a little straighter. He chuckled in his mind.

'Kids…'

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Naruto frowned as he walked inside the house. Those words from Ino still hurt and he still didn't know what he had done. He nearly ran into his father as he rounded a corner.

"Hello son. How was your day?"

"Bad."

"Why bad?"

Naruto looked up at his father with the beginnings of tears in his eyes and Yahiko mentally sighed.

'What happened now?'

"I don't think Ino-chan likes me anymore."

Yahiko scooped his son up and walked toward the study that they used for their nightly lessons. Eri was sitting in an armchair with her feet up, sipping a glass of mint tea. She liked to listen to them as they studied. Plus, she learned things too. Her gaze hardened when she saw Naruo's semi-wet cheeks and she raised an eyebrow at Yahiko.

"Tell your mother what you told me son."

Naruto sniffled and buried his face in his mother's dress. She rubbed the top of his head affectionately and spoke to him softly.

"Well sweetie? What's wrong?"

"I don't think Ino-chan likes me anymore. We went to the park and she was talking to a girl named Sakura and she said I was a bad boy and now Ino-chan says I'm mean and ran her friend off."

Eri let the information sink in and sighed. Apparently, this Sakura girl was from a civilian family, since the only children Naruto had regular contact with were clan children. The only clan children he didn't play with were the Uchihas and she was happy for that. Sasuke was a pleasant child when you first met him, but he idolized his cold, emotionless brother and was sure to turn out like him. Not a choice playmate for either of her children, born or unborn.

"Honey, Ino-chan is just a little girl and she doesn't know what she's talking about. This Sakura girl doesn't know you and she doesn't know what she's saying either. Everything will be fine."

Naruto sniffled and nodded his head, turning to face his father when he heard a book hit the table. Yahiko grinned and patted the chair beside him.

"Come on boy, we're studying the theory behind henge tonight. And you'll be keeping leaves on your forehead and elbows as we read."

Naruto groaned as he sat in the chair. He loved spending time reading but theory was so _boring._ He'd much rather learn the jutsu than read about it. But he'd promised his grandfather he'd learn from him and resigned himself to that fate. He just didn't break promises if he could help it. He started on the page assigned him.

"Henge is the ability to change the appearance of a person into something else entirely. The size and shape can be anything, but there are several theories that weight can also be distributed or even negated. What's distributed?"

"That means it can be put elsewhere to even it out."

"Oh, ok. What's negated?"

"That means it's cancelled out."

"Oh, what's…"

"That means it's not there."

"Oh, ok."

Eri giggled into her teacup and Yahiko glared at her. It was his responsibility to teach the boy, not hers. He wanted him taught right. He grinned mischievously and paid attention to Naruto.

"Hey dad, what's size manipulation?"

Yahiko smirked and cut his eyes to Eri.

"Something pregnant women wished they had control over."

A growl was his answer.

"What was that _dear_?"

'So totally worth it.'

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The next day found Naruto out on his run with Sarutobi again but this time the green spandex ninja was nowhere in sight. He sighed in contentment, until Sarutobi cleared his throat, a sign he was about to talk.

"Yes sensei?"

"Naruto, from here on out, Gai will be your taijutsu instructor. I'll teach you jutsus when you master the next level of chakra manipulation, but I have to start attending to other duties as Hokage."

"But sensei…"

"No buts Naruto. I don't like it any more than you do, but Gai is an excellent teacher and you'll go far under his wing. He'll have you breaking bones in no time."

'I hope he means other people's bones…'

As they came back to the house, Sarutobi took on a serious demeanor when he saw Gai doing vertical pushups, his loud boisterous voice carrying the number he was on over the grounds. The old Hokage knelt beside Naruto and looked him dead in the eye, as serious as could be.

"Naruto, I'm deadly serious here. Gai is a wonderful teacher, but if I ever catch you wearing a spandex body suit, I'll disown you. Am I clear?"

Naruto gulped and nodded. He didn't know what disown meant, but he didn't like the sound of it. He'd ask his father what it meant later. Sarutobi smiled and patted him on the head.

"Good boy. Now, I'll be helping you with some advanced chakra manipulation soon, but for now, listen to Gai. He'll help you when he's not on missions. When he is, he'll give you a detailed guideline to follow and I expect you to treat him with the utmost respect. To you, he is Gai-sensei, understood?"

"Hai, sensei."

"Excellent. Good morning Gai!"

Gai leapt to his feet and the morning sun pinged off his pearly whites.

"AH, HOKAGE-SAMA! A MOST SPLENDID MORNING IT IS! AND HOW IS MY NEW PUPIL ON THIS MOST YOUTHFUL OF MORNINGS?"

Naruto never got to answer, since they heard a window slide open and a coffee mug came hurtling out. Gai never saw it coming. It collided with his head and he hit the ground like a sack of potatoes. Eri leaned out the window looking bleary-eyed and both Naruto and Sarutobi cringed at her voice's volume. The woman, while a civilian, had aim that would make Mitarashi Anko jealous.

"MAITO GAI! THERE ARE PEOPLE TRYING TO SLEEP! KEEP YOUR DAMN VOICE DOWN!"

The window slammed shut and Gai leapt to his feet as if nothing ever happened. His voice was considerably lower though.

"Ah, I forgot Eri-san was sleeping. Pregnant women need all the sleep they can get, you see Naruto-kun. It helps the babies grow up strong and healthy. I've also heard however that walking in the morning before sunup can help them as well. Perhaps we should invite your mother to join us on one of our runs. YO…"

Before he could get going, Sarutobi clapped a hand over his mouth and put a finger to his lips.

"Now Gai, I know how excited you are to have a new student, but you must be quiet here. Eri needs her sleep, so keep it under a hundred decibels all right?"

The eccentric jounin nodded and Sarutobi sighed before standing back and addressing the newest master and student.

"Well, I'll leave you two to it. Naruto, make me proud. Gai, keep it down or your flames of youth will suffer."

"YOSH! I SHALL! AND IF I CAN'T…"

A swift side kick from Naruto to his shin quieted him and Gai looked apologetically sheepish. Sarutobi smiled as he shunshined to his office.

'Those two will work out fine.'

Gai turned to his student with a twinkle in his eyes. He hadn't had a pupil in quite a while and wanted to enjoy the experience, at least until he took a team.

"Tell me Naruto-kun, have you ever enjoyed the wonders of spandex?"

Naruto just sweat-dropped. This was going to be a long day.

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Eri sipped her morning coffee as she sat on the porch watching her son and Gai spar. She had to admit, the man knew his stuff. Once he entered into his teacher mode, he was serious to a point of being scary. His eye was overly critical and he tore the boy's taijutsu apart.

"No, no, no, Naruto-kun! Extend the leg just a bit more to distribute the weight. Cock your elbow more. Don't bend that knee. Let the body flow. You're too stiff."

She giggled when she saw the sour look on Naruto's face. He was trying hard, but even Sarutobi was not this hard a taskmaster when it came to the martial arts. Gai thought nothing of shoving the boy's body this way or that to straighten him up, but even she could see his expertise shining through. Already, Naruto's body was remembering the stances and katas. Suddenly Gai appeared beside her. She blinked and looked back out to the yard.

'Of course. Kage Bunshin.'

"Eri-san, I hope I did not disturb you on this most youthful morning earlier. I was merely excited about my new pupil."

Eri smiled up warmly at him and shook her head.

"No, I'm sorry Gai. I'm a little more cranky than normal in the mornings nowadays. I hope father forgives me for breaking his favorite coffee cup on your head."

Gai's laughter rang out over the grounds and she cringed. He was a nice man, but she was getting to her limit.

"Not that I mind talking to you sensei, but why are you over here?"

Gai quit laughing and his face dropped to impassiveness.

"I just want you to know that I am utterly overjoyed that I can help teach your son, but I have to know…how is it that he is still standing after his workout this morning?"

Eri cocked her head and looked at him quizzically.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Eri-san, he is just a four year old boy. I know he is a ninja in training, but even so, his muscles have begun to develop faster than any other child's and his mind is further cultivated. He is developing faster than other four year olds and that worries me."

"I know. It worries me too. But father insists that he needs this. You know of his burden Gai, you know of what it entails. The villagers shun and hate him, and he doesn't know why. We haven't told him yet. We think that his 'tenant' is helping develop his body, while we cultivate his mind. Did you know he had fully develop, _sharp_ canines at the age of six months?"

"I did not know that. But it doesn't matter. The boy's stamina is otherworldly. No other student has kept up with my regimen as well as he has. I can only hope that my next genin team has half of his youthful vigor. Excuse me, I have to go."

With a poof, the Gai beside her disappeared and the Gai in the yard stiffened for a moment and nodded in her direction before going back to the task of correcting what Naruto was doing wrong.

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Naruto stood with his hands on his knees, after a grueling lesson on Goken-style taijutsu. He liked it better than the Monkey-style, it was more rigid and allowed for more advancement than waiting, but Gai-sensei hit hard. And he was much more critical than his grandfather. The man was critical of how he stood or held his hands or looked at him sideways than Sarutobi could ever be. But that was why Gai was a taijutsu master and Sarutobi was The Professor. Sarutobi had forgotten more than they'd ever learn, Gai had beaten the memories into his body so he wouldn't have to remember.

"All right Naruto, let's call it a day. You've done very well on this youthful morning. Now come over here and we'll outline your training schedule."

Naruto beamed at the praise and immediately bounded over to his sensei. He didn't notice Gai's wide eyes as he flopped down cross-legged before the man.

'His stamina…it's like he never did anything today…'

"I'm very impressed Naruto. You learn quickly and you don't object too much to what your sensei tells you. That is most admirable in a student. But that attitude should only apply to learning jutsus and the martial arts. Never let your true self be swayed by someone else's ideals."

"What do you mean sensei?"

"Don't let anyone tell you something that you don't believe in. Don't allow others to mold your _mind_ for their benefit. You'll find in this world there are those who will hate you for no reason other than you're alive. You must be able to rise above them and be the bigger man. Let your sensei's mold your body. Use your mind to decide what is right and what is wrong."

Naruto nodded slowly. He didn't understand everything that his sensei was telling him, but his father could explain it in detail. Naruto stood and bowed to Gai.

"Thank you for your help sensei."

Gai smiled and handed Naruto a tiny scroll. He flipped it open to reveal his training schedule.

"Of course we'll have to get some better weights for that suit you're wearing, but that can come later. Our lives will be very busy from here on out Naruto-kun, but you and I are going to face this together. I've never trained a future Hokage before, so this is quite an honor."

Naruto looked toward the ground and his hair overshadowed his eyes.

"Gai-sensei, what do you think of me taking the title Hokage? I've read about what it is, but I don't know if I'm the best one for the job. I mean, I'm not strong or smart."

Gai knelt down and put his large hands on the boy's small shoulders. He looked him right in the eye and smiled.

"You're not strong right now Naruto, but you will be. And you are very bright for your age. You'll make a splendid Hokage one day, and I'll be happy to serve under you. My only request when you reach the office is that you never let your flames of youth die."

Naruto smiled at his teacher and Gai was pleasantly surprised to see the sun gleam off his fangs.

"Don't worry sensei. My, um, flames of youth will never die."

"YOSH! AND IF THEY EVER DO, I WILL CARRY A BOULDER BETWEEN MY TOES FROM HERE TO SUNA, UNTIL YOUR FLAMES RETURN!"

"GAI!"

"Ah yes, sorry Eri-san. Well, I must be going Naruto. Continue your studies in the evenings and make your mind as strong as your body. And don't forget about your friends. Even a Hokage needs friends. It is lonely at the top."

Naruto watched as Gai shunshined away and snatched up one of the leaves from the small whirlwind.

'I have to learn how to do that one day.'

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Sarutobi sighed happily as he entered his house and hung his robes and hat on the hook by the door. It was always pleasantly quiet now that Naruto had begun his studies and he had time for a decent smoke. He'd watched the new student and teacher through his crystal ball and was surprised to see that Naruto was coming along quickly in Goken, a greater surprise that he wasn't affronted by Gai's personal style or speeches.

He'd chosen wisely for taijutsu, but nin and genjutsu were up to him. As he walked by the window, he noticed that Naruto had a leaf on his forehead and one on each elbow and kneecap. Sarutobi smiled and stopped by the window looking in. While the leaf exercise was not an overly difficult one, especially compared to tree climbing or water walking, it was essential for the young ones to know. He'd begin the boy on tree climbing in another month or so.

Naruto saw his grandfather at the window and waved to him. Yahiko looked up and gave his father a broad smile. That is, until Naruto asked him another question.

"Hey dad, what's 'disowned' mean?"

"Why, who told you that word?"

"JiJi said he'd 'disown' me if he caught me wearing spandex."

Yahiko growled and looked toward the window where the old man had miraculously disappeared. He turned to his son and smiled.

"Remember some of those words I said I'd tell you about when you're older?"

"Yeah?"

"Add this to that list. Now you keep reading, I'm going to go find your grandfather and have a 'talk' with him."

Naruto nodded and turned back to his book. This 'Kage Bunshin' sounded pretty cool. He wondered why it didn't have any more information on it though…

**PLEASE REVIEW. I'D LIKE TO SEE WHERE I STAND SO FAR IN THIS STORY AS FAR AS THE READERS GO. **


	4. Learning

And here's Chapter 4. Kind of talk heavy, but I'm fleshing out for later. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...**Faceless**_ by Godsmack._

**CHAPTER FOUR**

It was now into Naruto's fifth year and he had grown much. He was a bright and sunny child, always in the middle of things when he wasn't training with his senseis. Sarutobi had taught him henge and kawarimi and he was using them effectively to mimic passerby and swap with random items. Sarutobi insisted he be grounded in the basics before he was taught the more advanced things. And because he was starting so early, there was more than enough time.

Gai had given up on the weights after a month. Sarutobi had been puzzled when the green clad man presented him with Naruto's body suit and said it wasn't working.

"_Hokage-sama, I can't train Naruto with weights anymore. They simply aren't helping."_

_Sarutobi gave Gai a hard look and took a drag on his pipe._

"_Explain."_

_Gai nodded his head and sat the folded bodysuit on the desk._

"_His body is adapting to the weights Hokage-sama. His body is doing things that normal bodies just don't do and the weights are not helping, they are hindering his progress."_

_Sarutobi frowned and shook his head._

"_I don't understand what you're telling me Gai."_

"_Hokage-sama, as I'm sure you're aware, the human body's muscles break down and rebuild when they are stressed with weights and weight training. The same is said for gravity seals since stress is being put on the body."_

"_Yes…"_

"_Naruto's body is not breaking down Hokage-sama, it is _adapting_, adjusting to the weight. His muscles don't break down and reform, they merely adjust so the weight isn't a burden and he doesn't notice them anymore. His body moves as if they weren't there."_

_Sarutobi drew on his pipe and closed his eyes._

"_I suppose you've experimented with this?"_

"_Of course Hokage-sama. I raised the weights by five pounds each day and by noon; he had adjusted so that they didn't bother him. He never fatigued, he just…adjusted. That's the best word I can come up with. He adapted."_

"_I'll allow you to take the weights away and we'll see what happens from there. These developments are somewhat troubling and yet…they are most fortuitous. My grandson will be a very powerful warrior when he grows up."_

_Gai smiled and bowed._

"_And I couldn't be prouder to know I have a hand in that."_

Currently Naruto was working on the bunshin, but he just couldn't get it right. He had expressed his doubts to Sarutobi about his ability to perform the jutsu and had been told to keep at it until he got it. But five months and no better results? That was pushing it.

Naruto grit his teeth and tried again. His control was what Sarutobi called 'adequate' and he knew he should be able to do it, but it was like he had a mental block. Most of his friends were practicing in the basics of their families' jutsus, but Naruto's family, having no specific jutsus or kekkai genkai, was stuck with working from the ground up. He liked henge and used it often. But his version was a little different.

Naruto had finally gotten the henge down to a more than acceptable level and could change into anyone or anything he imagined. Sarutobi noticed that the boy was quite skilled with it and not only changed his shape but weight as well. In fact, he completely baffled his senseis.

_Sarutobi had called Gai in to be his witness to the wonder that Naruto had created and they both watched as he performed his henge into Gai. Gai nodded his head in approval. Same height, same build, same facial features. He was about to ask what the problem was when Sarutobi changed into Gai and beckoned him over._

"_Tell me Gai, what are the basics of henge taught in the academy?"_

"_Well, the basics are that it allows you to transform into anything or anyone within reason. The body cannot be that much bigger than yours and the weight cannot be changed, but it is basically an illusion that is easily broken."_

"_Very good. Now, if one were to pump more chakra than necessary into the jutsu, what would happen?"_

"_I…don't know."_

"_Touch my shoulder."_

_Gai touched Sarutobi's shoulder and saw the illusion waver slightly, as most illusions are wont to do when disturbed. Sarutobi released the technique and pointed at their young charge._

"_Now touch Naruto's shoulder."_

_Gai walked over and poked Naruto in the shoulder and his eyes widened when he realized that the illusion did not waver in the slightest. In fact, the illusion felt…solid? That wasn't right. Henge was a low level technique that required great mental effort to keep up constantly and it wasn't a solid technique. _

_True, the older you get the better with the technique and there were even variations used that multiplied kunai and shuriken by hardening chakra to resemble the objects, but that's all they were…chakra. This shouldn't be possible on a child's level._

_Naruto whipped his head back and forth, trying to decipher what made the two so awed. Sarutobi merely smiled at the boy and patted him on the head._

"_Don't worry about it. We'll tell you what I wanted to show Gai later."_

Of course, later, more often than not, never came and Naruto was always left with questions. He rarely ever got answers to any important ones, only receiving the vague answer 'We'll tell you when you're older'.

As he walked up and down the tree, leaves stuck to various points of his body, he thought about his friends. Ino still hadn't talked to him since that day and the little blonde went out of her way to ignore him if possible. It hurt to lose a friend, but Naruto learned a valuable lesson out of that.

When someone wants nothing to do with you, cherish what you have and move on.

Hinata's baby sister, Hanabi, had been born and their family was doing fine so far. Hinata's mother had contracted an illness though, and was constantly bedridden, leaving the little girl without her merry voice or kind words. She'd also been taken by Hiashi to begin the learning points of Jyuuken. The straight-forward taijutsu style was an affront to Hinata's gentle nature, but she was trying her hardest not to disappoint.

Kiba was spending more and more time becoming acquainted with ninkens in hopes that he would receive his soon. His mother insisted he still had a few more years, but he held out hope.

Shino had begun to cultivate his colony and communicate with them and had become even more withdrawn. If Naruto wanted to see his silent friend, he had to make an effort to go to the Aburame district himself. And he didn't get to go often because he was busy himself.

Shikamaru and Chouji were both as lazy as ever, their father's not seeing the need to begin training them yet, insisting that kids could be kids for a little while longer. He didn't know how Ino was doing, but he hoped she was doing all right.

Naruto sighed as he sat at the bottom of the tree. Gai had insisted he begin to meditate and he found it boring. He was way too active a person to sit and hum for hours on end, but he had been told to do what his sensei said and he did…or pretended to.

Naruto's only true concerns at the moment were his taijutsu and his bunshin. He was ok with Monkey-style and average with Goken, but even Gai acknowledged they weren't fit for him. He couldn't bend enough with Monkey-style and he wasn't fit for Goken and its hard-as-rock punches. Gai had sworn to scour every library he could to find an appropriate style, but it was taking too long for Naruto's taste.

He huffed as he stood and walked inside to get lunch. Today, Gai was on a mission and his grandfather was stamping papers and more than likely going stir crazy. Perhaps he'd visit and break the monotony…

Naruto said hello to his mother, who was busy feeding his new little brother, Konohamaru (way too long a name in his opinion), but they'd asked his grandfather to name the kid. Eri smiled as she watched him bug the cook for ramen and get bopped on the head with a wooden spoon. The old woman said he'd be getting a healthy lunch and not that slop he ate at Ichiraku's with his grandfather. Naruto pouted and sat on a stool at the table, his feet swinging off the side.

"So what are you going to do after lunch, Naruto?"

He looked at his mom and put a finger to his chin, a habit he had picked up from somewhere.

"I don't know. I was thinking of going to see Jiji and bug him for some help on the bunshin. I can't get it right no matter how much I try. I know I'm pouring too much chakra into it, but no matter how much I try, I can't get the right amount. It just takes so little…"

Eri sighed and readjusted Konohamaru to her other arm.

"Naruto, most ninja don't use the bunshin once they're out of the academy unless it's to set up a trap. It's a very basic form of genjutsu that is almost worthless to a high level ninja. It's only taught at the academy to show the students the basics of more advanced techiniques."

Naruto stared at his mom open mouthed and gawked.

"Mom, I thought you weren't a ninja. How do you know all that?"

Eri rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Sweetie, I'm married to a ninja and I married into a ninja family. They talk about jutsus like normal families talk about sports. It's impossible not to pick up on some things."

Naruto had taken on an introspective look and the gaze in his eyes somewhat worried Eri.

"So…there are more powerful versions of the bunshin?"

"There are more powerful versions of everything, honey. I'm not helping you though, you should ask your grandfather or Gai-sensei."

Naruto nodded and ate his lunch slowly, thinking it over. He remembered reading about a…what was it…Kage bunshin? Yes, Kage bunshin. But adequate information on it had been conveniently deleted from the scroll he had been reading. He was fairly certain it was a powerful technique and he had his reasons for learning it.

He'd studied theory with his father every night since he learned to read until he was sick of the word 'theory'. But, he had to admit, learning it was a help. He knew that the more chakra a jutsu took, the less control it demanded. Anyone could use a high level jutsu if they pumped enough chakra into it. Control was what helped minimized the amount needed to its finest degree. If bunshin took such a small amount that he couldn't attain it, he would hone his control finer and find either information on the jutsu or find someone who could teach it to him.

His grandfather loved it when he learned new things, so he wouldn't be mad for too long…although he'd probably get punished…ah, it'd be worth it if he could just get past the bunshin jutsu.

He said goodbye to his mother and made his way toward the Hokage tower to visit his grandfather, with the warning to be back for dinner.

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Naruto kept his leaves attached to his head as he walked and he was glad that he had to concentrate on them somewhat. He hated walking through the village. It was the stares, those god-awful stares and the whispers. He could hear them sometimes, like they spoke just loud enough so he could hear them.

_Demon-brat…_

_Look at him, walking like he owns the place…_

_I wish he'd just disappear forever…_

_Hokage-sama must be under the demon's spell…_

_Yondaime-sama must be rolling over in his grave right now…_

_Shhh, he might hear us…_

He hated them somewhat. They talked bad about him and sometimes said mean things for no reason. They never hit him or beat him, but emotional wounds go deeper than physical wounds. Even though he had friends, even though he had a family, he couldn't make new friends, he couldn't play with any other children. It was like he had the plague…

He waved to the guards at the door and they smiled down at him. At least the ninjas looked upon him kindly. At the worst, they were indifferent or cold, but never spiteful. He had several that he liked. Anko was always fun to play with and she had those really cool snakes! Genma was fun to be around and one time Naruto had imitated him by leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets and a senbon in his mouth and the ninja had laughed long and hard before ruffling his hair.

Hayate was a kind man, but he was sickly and Naruto shied away from him. The ANBU however, were the weirdest of the bunch. The masks freaked him out sometimes, since he couldn't see their expressions, only the soft voices and slight breathing. Speak of the devil…

He grinned and waved at the gray haired ANBU standing by the Hokage's office door and the man turned to face him with his dog-faced mask. Inu never talked to him much but he was ok…he guessed.

"Hello Naruto. The Hokage is in a meeting right now, so have a seat. He should be through shortly."

Inu was one of those who was indifferent at best. His voice never raised and from what Naruto could tell with his limited dealings with those outside of his small circle, Inu was a very sad man. He seemed to live for his job and not much else. Naruto hopped onto the bench outside the door and swung his feet in time to his heartbeat.

Inu sighed behind his mask and prepared himself for the onslaught of questions about to come. Quiet time simply wasn't possible with an inquisitive Naruto around.

"Hey, Inu-san? Do you know how to do the bunshin?"

Inu's answer was to form the needed hand seal and a copy of himself appeared. It disappeared just as quickly and Naruto nodded before going back to being silent.

'3…2…1…'

"Hey, Inu-san? Do you know a more powerful version of that jutsu?"

Inu raised an unseen eyebrow and shuffled his feet. He'd heard from several people the boy was an information sponge, always soaking up what he could. However, he also knew that Sarutobi had forbidden anyone to teach the boy ninjutsu and he wasn't getting in trouble over a curious brat. He wanted to know what the boy was digging at though. It would help pass the time.

"Why do you want to know?"

Naruto frowned and kicked his feet back and forth. He didn't think it would be as easy as asking.

"I can't do a simple bunshin. I just can't control the amount of chakra needed to make one. I've read before that the more power a jutsu takes, the easier it is to make…"

"That's…not entirely true. You need control as well. That's why it's necessary to learn the academy bunshin, no matter how useless it is. It promotes control."

"Yeah, but it shouldn't take such a long time to learn."

"How long is long?"

"Five months."

Inu whistled low and nodded his head before standing bolt upright again. He could hear the people in the office moving around.

"Well, that's too bad kid, but I can't help you. Your grandfather has forbidden anyone from helping you. You know that."

Naruto sighed and put his face in his hands.

"Yeah, I know. I just thought it couldn't hurt to ask."

"It never hurts to ask Naruto, but trying to get Inu in trouble? I'm disappointed and ashamed…"

Naruto grinned at the voice and looked up.

"But Jiji, it was just a question. He can't possibly teach me anything anyway. All he ever does is stand there…"

"I _can_ hear you, you know…"

"Now, now, Inu, you know he didn't mean it…did you?"

"I'm sorry…"

Sarutobi sighed and opened the door more, letting out the man standing behind him.

"Thank you for coming. I will have an answer for you in the future."

"That would be most appreciated Hokage-sama."

Naruto watched as the man walked down the hall and was ushered into the office by a slightly annoyed Inu, who shut the door behind him. Naruto sat down in the chair before the desk and looked over the veneer at his grandfather.

"So, Naruto, what brings you here today?"

"I want to learn something more powerful than the bunshin."

Sarutobi sighed and readied himself for the battle.

"Naruto, you know what I said…"

"I know, I know. But Jiji, I have a theory."

Sarutobi was always happy to listen to a theory, even if he knew he was about to blow holes in it. He bridged his hands and puffed on his ever-present pipe.

"All right. Convince me."

"Ok, um, you know how the less chakra a jutsu uses, the more control you have to have right?"

Sarutobi nodded his head.

"Well, then on the other hand, the more chakra a jutsu takes, the less control it takes to bring the jutsu into existence. You still have to have control, but only to fine-tune the jutsu so it doesn't require so much chakra. I can't seem to get the control low enough for the regular bunshin, so would you please teach me a different one?"

Sarutobi sat back in his chair and puffed away on his pipe. He was impressed with his grandson's argument. The boy was five, but he had been taking his studies seriously. He wanted nothing more than to make his family proud and that was a boon. He had been ecstatic to learn henge and kawarimi and was fast on his way to mastering them. His solid form henge was a wonder as well. That would require more research.

But teaching him a more powerful bunshin? He was only five. Could he handle the power? Well, of course he could handle the power, but could he handle the responsibility of that power? Would he flaunt it or would he be prudent with it? Sarutobi sighed, a cloud of smoke billowing from his mouth.

"What would you do if I taught you a better bunshin?"

Naruto was ecstatic. This was as close as he'd probably get, but he had to take that leap.

"I'd work with it until I mastered it and then I'd ask for another."

Sarutobi smiled and clenched the pipe in his teeth. He remembered another child who wouldn't rest until he had mastered a jutsu taught to him. Jiraiya had been a stickler for learning. He didn't just learn a jutsu, he bent it, tweaked it, _perfected_ it. He didn't rest until he had made it perfect, and _then_, he asked for more. Perhaps…perhaps, it would not be a bad idea. Five months was a long time not being able to use a bunshin after all…

"If I do this, you are not to let others know about it except me and Gai. Understood?"

Naruto nodded vigorously and grinned happily. Sarutobi grinned back and waved his hand.

"Now go home scamp, I have work to do. I'll show you the jutsu tonight."

Naruto practically flew home.

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Sarutobi sighed as he walked inside the house. He could see Naruto in the backyard, balancing on one foot on a tree branch, sticking leaves to multiple parts of his body. He hung his hat and robe on the hook by the door and walked out back.

Naruto saw his sensei coming and leapt out of the tree, trembling with anticipation. Sarutobi raised his hand, signaling for silence.

"The bunshin I will show you is not to be shown to anyone else, I want to say that again. When you get older, I will tell you when it is ok to use it outside of training. Now then, watch what I do. This will help you form the Tsuchi bunshin."

Sarutobi ran through the hand seals slowly, Naruto mocking him, trying to get them right. Once he was comfortable that the boy had it down, he dropped his hands to the sides.

"As time goes on, you will find that jutsus such as these will become easier to use and eventually you will be able to use only one seal or none at all. You will know how the chakra is molded and it will help make you a better, unpredictable ninja. Now try to mold the chakra correctly."

It took seven tries, but finally Naruto was able to form a Tsuchi bunshin. He leapt this way and that, cheering loudly, before he was smacked on the head and stood quietly again.

"That was very good, but now I expect you to train with this until you have it down. I hadn't meant to teach you a jutsu this advanced this early, but it was necessary I suppose. Practice it more until dinnertime. I will come to fetch you."

Naruto nodded and flipped through the hand seals again as Sarutobi walked inside.

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The old Hokage flopped into an armchair and sank back into the aged leather. Here, amongst his sanctuary of old scrolls and books, he felt safe and at peace. No one bothered him here and he was free to research what he pleased. Currently, he was flipping through some scrolls from Whirlpool country, trying to find anything about Naruto's distant family.

The Uzumakis (so named because he didn't know any other surname for Naruto's mother's family) were a reclusive and private family, but they left good records and detailed birth certificates. He was looking for anything on The Melt, the bloodline he thought the child might have. He read that it only manifested once every ten generations, and only in the strongest of the children.

There weren't many details about it. The Uzumakis didn't want their children used as breeding fodder for a kekkai genkai that wasn't guaranteed to manifest or to be in danger constantly of being kidnapped by neighboring villages. What he did find was intriguing and raised more questions.

The bloodline was actually a genetic defect that made itself known a few years before puberty in most. One child had been documented as manifesting as early as four but Naruto was past that. The infuriating thing was that they made no mention what the damn thing did! Calling it The Melt left so many open possibilities. Based on stealth and helped form the ninja world...

He found another scroll and quirked an eyebrow. Uzumakis were natural born assassins and there were several documented episodes of their assassination skills. If Naruto manifested this bloodline, there was no reason not to teach him the ways of the assassin. He would need to learn to be quiet somehow…

Sarutobi put the scrolls back and looked at the grandfather clock in the corner of the room. He needed to gather Naruto up and head for the table. Eri would be angry if he kept the boy outside all night. As he walked down the hall, he thought toward the future.

Assassination was a skill the boy would _have_ to learn. That meant that he would have to make a kill someday and the idea pained him that the innocent child would have to take a life. But to truly understand the fragility and precious quality of a life, you must take one, so you can protect those you love. A ninja's trade demanded no less…

His eyes widened as he stared out into the yard and saw Naruto running through the seals, ten copies of himself standing around, loitering. Sarutobi walked up and they all turned and smiled, speaking in a collective voice.

"Hi Jiji!"

"Naruto, dispel your clones and come inside. Dinner's ready."

The blonde let his bunshins sink into the ground and stood up, the exertion clear on his face. But a trace of pride was there also. He had proven that he could do more powerful jutsu and, even though it might be a while before he learned another, he had time to perfect this one. He followed his grandfather inside wordlessly. Sarutobi walked in front, his hands behind his back. He didn't look back as he spoke.

"I'm proud of you Naruto."

**And there you have it. A slight time jump and a new jutsu for the boy wonder. Let me know what you think.**


	5. A Trick of the Eyes

And here's Chapter 5. Enjoy. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...**Start First**_ by Skindred._

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Naruto groaned and banged his head on the table before him. His grandfather had thought it would be a fine time to introduce Naruto to the joys of paperwork and the little boy had been ecstatic to learn more about being Hokage…until he met the mounds of parchment.

He sighed and looked over to where Sarutobi was signing away at whatever was in front of him, his pipe billowing like a smokestack, small curses coming from his lips. He turned to the small blonde sitting at the table next to him and took his pipe from between his teeth. Looking at the clock, he groaned.

"That's it. Come on Naruto, we're going for a walk. I'm sure you're tired of sorting those papers."

"Hai, sensei."

Sarutobi nodded to the guard at the door and they walked out into the street in front of the Hokage tower, stretching the kinks from their bodies.

"So Naruto, where shall we go?"

"I don't know sensei, you're the one who wanted to leave."

Sarutobi laughed and shook his head. It was true, he hated being cooped up for long.

"Well, let's go do a little shopping, hmm? Perhaps we can finally find you a weapon that would suit you."

"I don't know sensei. Nothing sticks out and I'm not tall enough yet for a staff…"

The old Kage sighed and nodded to people as they passed. The ones with harsh glares for Naruto received a dose of his killing intent.

"Naruto…I believe we've established that, as unfortunate for me as it is, you simply aren't built to use most of my styles. Bojutsu just isn't you. Neither is Monkey-style taijutsu. And Gai was heartbroken when he found you weren't a match for Goken. But, on the other hand, that leaves several possibilities for you. You don't have to follow our paths, instead you can beat out your own."

"Yeah, but…it's hard learning from someone when they are learning along with you. Gai-sensei and I have tried several different styles and none have worked. He learns just as much as I do. I'm supposed to be the student…"

"Naruto…one universal truth you must accept is that you never stop learning. The day you stop learning is the day you die and disappear. Knowledge is like a mighty river, always flowing and you can't help but be swept up by its current. You can safely drink from it at times, but the true thrill is diving in and letting it take you away to unknown territories."

"Sensei, you're preaching again…"

Sarutobi laughed and ruffled the boy's hair.

"So I was. But you have to understand that I learn something every day. Life is learning and you never stop."

He let Naruto think on that as they continued their walk. Before long, they had arrived at the weapons shop. Sarutobi loved to come here and walk amongst the weapons, testing the staffs and flipping the kunai back and forth. He hadn't allowed Naruto to use anything more than blunt kunai for target practice and the boy had proven a dab hand with throwing weapons, but he still needed a melee weapon for those up close and personal encounters.

They stepped inside and Sarutobi nodded to the owner before walking to the back and weighing the staffs in his hands. He disliked many of them, but then again, most weapons were poor when compared to Enma's staff transformation. Sarutobi snatched a heavy oaken staff from the display and twirled it in the air before settling it behind his back in a crouch. One reason he loved this particular store was the large areas between the weapons and the high ceilings, allowing you to try out you hopefully future purchases.

Naruto wandered around the racks, running his fingers over the staffs before shaking his head and heading for something more…pointy. He picked up a sword but quickly put it back. He wasn't big and strong enough for swords yet. Instead, he meandered over to the daggers and kunai.

Somewhere in Naruto's mind, he just got tickled looking at knives. It was like he had a genetic predisposition to them. He knew soon he would have to start training with weapons for real, but he still had as of yet to find one that suited him. Kunai were used by everyone. Shuriken were used by everyone. He wanted a unique weapon, one that would make him stand out. There were several kenjutsu masters, and his grandfather was renowned for bojutsu. His uncle Asuma, who he had never met, was a master with trench knives.

Naruto vaguely heard Sarutobi chatting with the proprietor of the establishment and went back to his browsing. The knives here were either too ornate or too plain. None had that edge he wanted. He frowned and turned away from them. Perhaps he should look at knuckle-dusters…

He sighed as he quickly brushed away that thought. Way too plain and brutal. With knives there was a subtlety that was close to poetry. He'd watched Anko play with hers often enough as she waited in the Hokage's lobby that he knew they were a force to be reckoned with. But knives also had a drawback. They were good as throwing weapons, but they demanded that you be up close and personal. Swords gave you a little bit of distance; knives demanded that you be close as you took a life…

He picked up a plain looking dagger and twirled it in his hands like Anko had shown him. It lacked balance for throwing but felt pleasant in the hand. He put it back with a shake of his head. He still couldn't find anything that suited him…

Sarutobi frowned as he spoke with the owner. They had both been watching as Naruto rummaged through the weapons and he was still quite dismayed that Naruto didn't like any of them.

"I don't know what to think Kawase. He just can't seem to get comfortable with any weapons. Most children his age think_ any_ kind of sword or sharp thing is 'cool'. Naruto just looks upon them with disdain."

"Hokage-sama, perhaps the child just isn't ready yet. I've heard of the training regimen you and Gai-san put him through. He has a lot on his plate. And you said earlier he had started helping you with your paperwork."

"Hai, I did. And he is a big help, even though I have to catch him sometimes putting things in the wrong pile. He has his own ideas about what is important and what isn't. You know, his sixth birthday is coming up in a few days."

"Ah of course. The day of the festival. Will you be attending?"

Sarutobi frowned and knocked his pipe out against his leg.

"I'll give my yearly speech but after that I shall retire to my home. We have a party planned for Naruto and all his little friends. The celebration is mostly for the civilians anyway. The clans will be attending Naruto's party. It's an occasion for them to catch up with each other and watch the children be children. Plus, Eri makes the most delicious cakes…"

The owner of the shop laughed and slapped his hand on the counter. Imagine the Hokage of all people being weak kneed for his daughter-in-law's cooking. Sarutobi chuckled along with the man and patted Naruto on the head as he wandered up.

"Find anything to your liking?"

Naruto shook his head in a negative and Sarutobi sighed heavily.

"Don't worry. One day, you'll find the weapon you want and I'll train you to the fullest in it. We can't do everything at once."

Naruto nodded and they said their farewells to the owner of the shop. As they walked back to the tower, Sarutobi smiled down.

"What do you say to lunch before we go back to our dreary job?"

The small blonde nodded vigorously.

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Sarutobi smiled as he watched Naruto and his friends play in the yard. Kiba and Naruto were entirely too energetic and it showed in their game of tag. Hinata and Shino did their best to keep up while Shikamaru and Chouji sat to the side, too lazy to do anything but watch. He looked over to the adults and smiled at their obvious comfort. They were enjoying themselves as much as the children. Noticably absent was little Ino, though Inoichi had seen fit to come.

Sarutobi sat back again with his notes on the Uzumakis and read a little more. Naruto's father had been an absolute brute on the battlefield, the ultimate frontliner. A few special kunai thrown around the battlefield and he could decimate an army. Little was known about his better half, although from what he'd read so far, he would guess she was an assassin like the rest of her relations. He couldn't be too sure though.

He heard Naruto laugh and lifted his head to see Kiba sprawled out on the ground, holding his nose. The boy had run headfirst into a tree and now everyone was laughing. He ran to Tsume, who gave him a hug and told him to be a big boy about it and sent him back out to play. Sarutobi shook his head and sighed. It wouldn't be long before playtime would be over and they'd be sent out to act in honor of their village.

He stiffened a little when he read a particular excerpt from the scroll he'd found. He hadn't noticed it or had thought it inconsequential at the time, but it caught his eye now.

_Those born with the defect can allow nature to swallow them whole._

He didn't know what to make of that. They were assassins of the highest caliber and now…ugh, it was too frustrating. He sat the notes down and watched the children play some more, before he felt someone standing at his side.

"Hokage-sama."

"Ah, Gai. What can I help you with?"

"I just wanted to drop in and wish Naruto-kun a happy birthday. It isn't often he gets a day like this anymore."

"I agree. I keep the boy quite busy when you're not teaching him. How is he progressing by the way?"

"Quite well. He isn't a master, but he won't be helpless when it comes to taijutsu. He showed me his Tsuchi bunshin the other day finally. He is quite proficient with it."

"Hai, I am quite proud of him for learning it so quickly and improving himself with it. He's come far in two years."

"Hai, he has. Excuse me, Hokage-sama, I'm going to give Naruto his gift before I have to go."

Sarutobi nodded and pulled his pipe out, but found his hands suddenly full. He blinked at the little bundle shoved into his arms and found himself looking up at a fuming Eri.

"Hold him please while I go inside and change."

"What happened?"

"Your grandson thought it would be a good idea to upchuck all over my new dress. I'll be right back."

Sarutobi chuckled and bounced Konohamaru on his knee while the little boy squealed with delight.

"You shouldn't have done that you know. Now your mother will be upset with you."

Konohamaru just giggled.

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The four children lay on the ground panting from their efforts to catch one another. Kiba and Naruto had finally called a truce and decided to relax. Shikamaru and Chouji ambled over as they all sat in a circle and chattered.

"Mom says that I might be able to get a ninken in a couple years, but I want one now! She just doesn't understand."

"Um, Kiba-kun…maybe you just aren't ready yet."

Kiba gave Hinata a pouting look and she giggled into her hand. Naruto grinned at his feral friend and fanged fellow.

"Maybe you aren't Kiba but don't worry. When you get one, I'm sure it'll be really cool."

Shino pushed his miniature shades up his nose and nodded.

"Hai Kiba, but having a companion is also a large responsibility. My Kikai bugs require constant watching and father has told me that the older I get, the larger the colonies get. They will require even more care."

Kiba hung his head lower and sighed. He hated the word 'responsibility'. Before any more conversation could start up, the group heard footsteps and turned to see a very muscular man clad in green. Naruto beamed and leapt to his feet.

"Gai-sensei!"

"YOSH! HELLO NARUTO-KUN! I HOPE YOU ARE HAVING A MOST YOUTHFUL BIRTHDAY!"

A collective scream of his name from the adults made Gai wince and rub his head sheepishly before turning to a group of wide-eyed youngsters and one grinning jinchuuriki. He knelt down in front of Naruto and produced a scroll from his belt. Naruto cocked his head to the side and pointed at the scroll.

"What's that sensei?"

"This, Naruto, is a sealing scroll. Inside of it, is your birthday present. Tell me, have you studied seals yet?"

Naruto shook his head and Gai sighed.

"I would suggest you study them then. There aren't many seal masters in the world and it is a sorely needed skill in this world. I'll show you how to use them and you can keep the scroll as well to study ok?"

Naruto nodded and all the kids watched as Gai used his chakra to unseal Naruto's present. Out from the scroll popped two books, two bags full of what looked like game pieces, and…a double-sided game board? Naruto looked at his teacher, his eyes asking the unspoken question.

"This, Naruto, is a game board for playing shougi and go. These games have been revered throughout the ages as helping to hone awareness and strategy for the battlefield. I want you to learn how to play them and when you do, we'll play a game. A healthy mind is just as essential as a healthy body. Never let it be said I have a totally one-track mind."

Naruto hugged his sensei's neck and thanked him for the gift, while the others looked strangely at Shikamaru. He was looking hungrily at the game board, as if he wanted to claim it as his own. Once Gai left and Naruto sat back down, Shikamaru pointed to the game board.

"Are you going to learn to play?"

Naruto shrugged and grinned.

"I intend to. If Gai-sensei says it will help me, then I'll learn."

Shikamaru grinned and flopped down in front of Naruto, the board between them.

"I can show you how to play. I love having someone to play board games with."

"You know how to play these?"

Shikamaru nodded his head vigorously and flipped through the book.

"These are basic books on strategy, but you'll like them. When you want to learn to play, come find me and I'll set up the game."

"Ok!"

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The rest of Naruto's birthday party was typical of any young boy's. They had cake, played a few more games, and then he opened his presents. Most were typical of a little boy, a few games, some clothes…Hinata had gotten him a necklace depicting a fox chasing its tail. He hugged her neck and thanked her. She smiled at him shyly and said he was welcome. The adults all congratulated him and patted him on the head or slapped him on the back. He finally came to his grandfather, who stood with his hands behind his back.

Sarutobi had remembered from a previous shopping trip (what they called getting the hell out of the office when paperwork became too much) that Naruto had admired some hats he had seen and had gone back to have one commissioned. He smiled down at his grandson.

"I hope you've enjoyed your birthday this year Naruto. Today was a free day you know. Tomorrow, it's back to business as usual. Now, I have two presents for you."

Naruto's face lit up and he literally bounced on the balls of his feet. He hoped it was a jutsu…

"I'll be teaching you a jutsu…"

'YES!'

"…at our next training session. It's a D-rank, so don't expect anything spectacular."

Naruto's smile slipped a little, but quickly came back. At least he was learning something new.

"Now, as for your other gift, well, it's easier just to show you."

From behind his back, Sarutobi presented Naruto with a copy of his Hokage's hat. The little boy laughed happily and sat the hat on his head. On top of it was the kanji reading 'Shadow of the Shadow'. Naruto loved it. Sarutobi laughed and clapped the boy on the shoulder.

"You can't take mine yet, but that should tide you over for now. I expect you to wear it when we're in the office of course.'

Naruto nodded his head hard, causing the silken hat to bob up and down. Everyone laughed at his enthusiasm and Sarutobi clapped his hands together.

"Now, how about we get some ice cream before everyone leaves?"

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Naruto grumbled to himself as he separated the papers into their respective piles. He hated this part of the job and doing it by himself was a chore. But he knew it was part of what he was learning, it was all a part of being Hokage. He heard his sensei sigh as he stamped another form and let his head fall to the desk. Desk jobs were soooo BORING!

"Naruto…keep separating those papers. The sooner you get them separated, the sooner I can sign them, the sooner we can go home."

Naruto nodded and picked up a document, skimming over it. Some farmers in the southern part of Fire country wanted a ninja to come and kill a pack of wolves that were terrorizing the livestock…

'Sweet Kami, don't these people know how to fend for themselves?'

"Find one of interest Naruto?"

He turned to his sensei and shook his head.

"Sensei, why are there so many worthless missions? Killing wolves? Grubbing potatoes? These are things that any one could do."

"Hai, they are. But these are missions that are used to promote teamwork among our genin teams. That's why I need you to separate them by urgency and difficulty."

"I know, but it seems so…"

"Stupid?"

"Well, I wasn't going to say that, but…yeah, it seems stupid."

"It does to me at times too. Now then, let's get those separated and we'll go home to work on that jutsu I promised you."

Naruto flew through his paperwork like a man possessed.

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Naruto stood before his sensei practically giddy with excitement. He was going to learn another technique! He couldn't even guess what this one could do. Sarutobi stood before him with a smile on his face as well. He loved having a young, willing student.

"The jutsu I'm about to show you is, as I told you before, a D-rank and while not useful on the battlefield, is practical for getting around quickly outside of a fight."

Naruto cocked his head to the side, wondering what it could be. He watched as Sarutobi formed a single hand seal and poofed across the clearing in the blink of an eye. He disappeared from the spot beside Naruto in a swirl of leaves and reappeared in a swirl of leaves. Naruto watched as he formed the handseal again and reappeared back in front of him.

"That was the shunshin Naruto. It is used to go short to medium distances in the blink of an eye. It is great for getting around at fast speeds in daily life but isn't very useful on the battlefield. Truly skilled ninjas can sense chakra and the shunshin is a dead giveaway that you are approaching. It emits a level of chakra into the air that creates a small vortex that raises sand, leaves, or any debris off the ground. It is, however, a fun jutsu to use. Now, try."

Naruto concentrated on the hand seal, molded the chakra properly...and promptly smashed into the tree before him. Sarutobi roared with laughter and helped the boy to his feet.

"That was a good first try Naruto, but you need to _visualize_ where you're going. You can't have too broad an area, otherwise _that_ happens. Now envision yourself on the roof of the house and place yourself there."

Naruto nodded his head and concentrated, he imagined himself standing on the roof and felt the tingle as the chakra wound its way through his body and wrapped itself around him before yanking him upward and onto the roof. The entire process took less than a second and Naruto opened his eyes to find leaves swirling around him. He waved down at his sensei. Sarutobi smiled and waved back.

"That was very good, but once again, you need to practice to make it useful and to make it easier to use. Work on it until supper and I'll come fetch you again."

Naruto nodded and Sarutobi watched as he shunshined across the yard…and into the side of the servant's quarters…

The old Hokage shook his head and chuckled under his breath as he walked inside.

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Yahiko watched as his father taught his son the shunshin and nearly died from laughter when the boy crashed headlong into a tree. Watching Naruto made him wonder about his brother, Asuma. He watched his father head into his private study and followed in behind him.

Sarutobi glanced up when he saw his son enter and swung hi head back down to continue reading.

"Father, have you received any word from Asuma lately?"

Sarutobi sighed and closed the book he had been reading before rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"No, there has been no word from him since he left to join the Guardians. I don't know if we'll ever hear from him until he wants to come back home. I wish he would though."

"Why? Another hand in Naruto's training?"

The aging Hokage frowned at his son and leaned back in his chair.

"Not just that, no. I miss my son and I'd rather not see him off getting killed for something I don't believe in. We didn't part on the most amicable terms, you know that. I just want my son back home."

"Forgive me father, I didn't mean to be rude."

"No need for apologizing. I admit sometimes I am hard on Naruto and he needs more training than you can imagine. There have been many prodigies younger than him that have become full-fledged ninja you know."

"I know, but it doesn't change the fact that he is my son and I don't want his childhood to evaporate."

"It won't. I promise. You have to trust that I'm doing what's best for everyone, Naruto included. It's been two years since he began to learn jutsus and so far, he only knows four. That's pitifully low for one of his ability and I'm going to have to start upping his ninjutsu training. I'll have to try to find a genjutsu master though. It takes time to explain the nuances and requirements for those and I don't have the patience or time. I don't know what else to do. The boy is abysmal in the genjutsu area. He can't even recognize one half the time."

Sarutobi lit his pipe and took an extra long drag. He let the smoke envelop his head and closed his eyes.

"How are his studies coming along?"

Yahiko ran his hand through his hair and exhaled.

"They're coming along splendidly, although, after Gai's little show with the sealing scroll at his birthday, he wants to learn more about fuinjutsu. He seems to think there are possibilities there that he can explore. I began to teach him how to play go and shougi last night as well."

"And?"

"He's…learning slowly. Naruto learns by doing, so it will take several tries before he learns all the nuances and subtleties that make up the games. He tries to be too forward when he plays."

"Well, he is only six. He'll learn quickly though."

"Hai, but the thing is…when he's backed into a corner, he can pull off brilliant moves that I never would have read or thought possible. But it only comes in small flashes. Perhaps we can cultivate that mind to think more outside the box."

"Perhaps."

They sat in silence for a while until Sarutobi suddenly perked up.

"Yahiko, tell me what you think of this."

The younger of the two read the small passage and handed the parchment back to his father.

"I have no idea what that could mean. Do you still believe that Naruto might harbor some kind of kekkai genkai?"

"I do. He's been nothing but one surprise after another so it would stand to reason."

A knock at the door made them both turn and Eri popped her head in.

"Dinner's ready. If one of you would round up Naruto?"

Sarutobi stood, cracking his back and groaned.

"I'll fetch him. I want to see how he's doing with the shunshin anyway."

Yahiko nodded and followed after his wife, leaving his father to walk outside.

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Sarutobi hummed to himself as he paced toward the door to go outside. He silently wondered if the boy had come along with the jutsu or not. Knowing Naruto, he had probably figured it out finally and was teleporting back and forth across the yard, coming dangerously close to tiring himself out. He opened the door and came face to face with a shunshin-using Naruto.

"Hi Jiji! I think I got it down pretty good."

"That's very good Naruto. Show me."

Naruto nodded and walked back to the middle of the yard. He formed the needed seal and was gone in a swirl of leaves to appear on the roof of the adjacent building. Before Sarutobi could call out, he reappeared again on the tree out back and disappeared one more time before reappearing in front of his grandfather, smile blindingly obvious.

"That's excellent Naruto, but you have to be careful not to overexert yourself. Using that jutsu that many times in succession could have ill effects on the body."

'Probably not yours, per se, but I'd rather not find out.'

"Ok Jiji, I'll be careful. Can I use this jutsu to get from here to your office from now on?"

"I don't think you can reach from here to there."

"What if I push more chakra into the move?"

"Theoretically that would work but I don't know that for sure. How about letting me see if its possible before you try that ok?"

"Ok Jiji."

"Good. Now, supper's ready, let's go eat."

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Several weeks later found Naruto back in the office again, sorting papers as Sarutobi grumbled and grunted as he stamped and signed away. Naruto was frantically sorting the papers into piles and shoving them onto the desk where they were looked over quickly and then put into the out box. Sarutobi looked over at his grandson and smiled discreetly.

The hat had become a permanent fixture on the little boy's head and it never ceased to amaze him how much he looked like Minato, especially since he had insisted that Naruto wear robes while he tended to his duties. The blonde had protested loudly that he hated wearing robes and wanted to continue wearing his shorts and t-shirts but a powerful glare from his grandfather made him hush.

_"In that office you are to look respectable and dignified. This matter is not up for negotiation. Is that clear?"_

"_Hai, sensei."_

He hadn't meant to sound so harsh but Naruto's head was notoriously thick if he didn't want to do something. A firm word was usually all that was needed to put him in his place. He watched as Naruto skimmed over the documents and threw them into an appropriate pile before paper clipping them and shoving them onto the desk. He couldn't ask for a more able helper…although, it was free labor for the village, a training mission if you will.

Sarutobi suddenly remembered that he had left an important document at the compound and needed it signed by that day. He couldn't leave…but he could send Naruto. The boy would be grateful for the opportunity to leave for a few minutes.

"Naruto, I need you to run an errand."

The boy didn't even look up, just kept sorting the papers. Sarutobi smiled. At least he was learning to multitask, a vital skill for a seasoned Hokage.

"Hai sensei? What do you need me to do?"

"I forgot an important document at the house. Could you run fetch it please?"

Naruto growled and pushed back from the desk. He was so close to finishing before lunch too. Without thinking he formed the seal for shunshin and disappeared, leaving a wide-eyed Sarutobi in his wake.

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Naruto swept into the study of his grandfather quickly and acquired the document before making the seal again and poofing away.

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Sarutobi had been counting on the clock how long it took for the boy to get back. Walking was a good fifteen minutes away, at a ninja sprint a good five. Naruto was back in three. The old Hokage took the paper offered him and watched as his apprentice went back to his sorting like nothing had happened. A child shouldn't be able to shunshin that far! Most adults couldn't make it more than a couple hundred yards if they were in top shape and great at control.

"Naruto…how did you get this?"

He didn't look up from his sorting.

"I used shunshin to get into your study."

"How?"

The boy looked up exasperated.

"Sensei, I did it just like you told me. I used the seal, molded the chakra, and applied control while envisioning where I wanted to be."

"Naruto, do you know how far away home is from here?"

"Um…not very by shunshin?"

"Naruto, home is over a mile away. You shouldn't have been able to do that. Especially while distracted."

"I'm sorry? I won't do it again, I promise."

"No, no. It's not that. You just…surprised me."

'Once again.'

Naruto nodded and went back to doing his paperwork. Sarutobi kept his eye on the boy for a moment and nearly had a heart attack when he witnessed what he thought was a miracle.

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Naruto wasn't paying attention and had grasped for another paperclip on the desk but couldn't find one. He wondered why his hand felt weird, turned his head to see what was the matter, and found his hand sunk into the desk. He gasped and jerked it out quickly, holding it by the wrist with his other hand.

Sarutobi watched out of the corner of his eyes as the boy knocked his fist into his hand, making sure they were corporeal. He didn't say anything though, just observed.

Naruto, satisfied that his hand was whole and that he wasn't crazy, chalked it up to doing too much paperwork. His mind was starting to play tricks on him. Just to be sure, he touched his hand to the desk again and found the surface solid and smooth. Sighing in relief, he returned to his sorting.

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Sarutobi was nearly hyperventilating. He had just seen his grandson put his hand not through the desk, but _into_ the desk. If this was what he thought it was, the boy had so much potential it wasn't funny. He didn't say anything about what he saw and went back to writing but he cut his eyes to Naruto every so often and found no change.

The child must have thought it was a trick of his eyes and played it off. But Sarutobi knew different. The boy's hand had actually gone _into_ the desk. It had _melted_ _into_ the desk before his very eyes.

He had a gem in his office and he now fully intended to polish it until it shone brightly. He returned to his paperwork with a flourish. They needed to get out of this office as soon as possible.

He and Naruto had work to do…

**So...yeah. Let me know what you think.**


	6. The Vanishing Act

And here's Chapter 6. Hope you guys enjoy this one. And if any of you read MOTZ, for the love of God, someone PLEASE draw the picture of Tsuande and Jiraiya and send me a link. Muchas Gracias. Readers, Reviwers, thank you...**Rattle My Cage**_ by Rehab._

**CHAPTER SIX**

It was now five months after Naruto's seventh birthday and he had developed his shunshin so that he could teleport both him and his grandfather to and from work. But using it like that drained him considerably when Sarutobi traveled with him. Just one of the limitations that he had found out as he went. It didn't bother him much though. He knew from how his grandfather talked that it was pretty impressive.

He'd had his mental regimen upped in the past few months and routinely spent a few hours each week playing shougi and go against Shikamaru and Gai. Yahiko was more prone to playing puzzles and had passed on a love of them to Naruto. Before he went to bed at night, he usually tried to solve a few brainteasers. His father said it kept his mind sharp. Naruto just knew that it helped his brain go to sleep at night.

He hadn't had anything happen like that one day ever again. He thought it was a trick of the mind that he had seen his hand disappear into the wood of the desk he sat at. But in the back of his mind, there was something that told him it had been real. He had watched as his hand sank into the veneer. If only there was some way to be sure…

Currently, Naruto was on his way to the Aburame's district to see Shino, with a butterfly he'd caught cupped in his hands.

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"Hello, Naruto. It's been quite a while since I last saw you."

"Hey Shino. Jiji keeps me really busy, so I don't have time for fun stuff as much any more. I caught this butterfly and wanted to know if you guys already had one like it."

Shino looked in between Naruto's laced fingers and pushed his sunglasses further up his nose.

"I believe we already have that species, but another is always a welcome addition. Come. We'll see if father has a pod to put it in."

Naruto nodded vigorously and walked beside his friend. Shino was never one much for conversation. He just said what needed to be said and then shut up. But Naruto was always able to drag a few extra words out of him somehow. Mostly because he wasn't afraid to discuss insects with him.

"So, how's your colony doing?"

"They are currently at an optimum level of efficiency. I have begun to converse with them and have been making strides to facilitate a bargain so that we can work together."

Naruto blinked at his friend and sighed. If the others had been here (except for Shikamaru) they would have been so lost. Shino was raised on logic and the application of such.

"Shino, you really need to learn to use more common words when talking to others. If our other friends were here, they wouldn't have understood you."

Shino turned his head slightly and poked his glasses again. It was a habit he'd picked up from his father over the years when he was either annoyed or explaining something.

"But you _do_ understand me. There is no logical reason for me to change my speech patterns at the current moment."

"Geeze Shino, just act like a seven year old once in a while. You talk like a grownup all the time."

They continued on for a few feet before Shino spoke again.

"My family believes that logic rules all Naruto and therefore I am expected to speak in a logical and mature manner as befits an Aburame. I cannot help it that you still deign to speak like a common street thug when your upbringing dictates otherwise."

Naruto put a comical scowl on his face and puffed his cheeks out.

"I'm not a common thug. I just choose to speak in layman's terms so I am easily understood by everyone."

"Now you're speaking like an Aburame."

"Only because I have to rise to your level to actually get a conversation out of you. You're such an elitist."

"I'm not an elitist. I just converse with more flair than the rest of you. It's not my fault I make you keep a higher standard."

Naruto sighed and shook his head.

"At least you're not a stuck up jerk like that Uchiha kid. What was his name again?"

"I believe his name is Sasuke."

"Yeah, him! He's such a jerk. I introduced myself to him and he turned his nose up at me and called me a demon before walking away. Said his father said that I was a demon among men."

"That…is illogical. My Kikai are sensitive to chakra signatures and they have not detected anything demonic about you, only that you have very high chakra levels for a kid our age."

Naruto grinned and they turned a corner to Shibi's office.

"Yeah, I'm awesome like that."

Shino turned to look at him as he turned the knocked on the door and waited for his father to call for them to enter.

"They also say you have the scent of a fox, but give no explanation."

Naruto shrugged and grinned again.

"That's what Kiba tells me. No one can give me an answer."

Shino nodded and pushed the door open.

"Hello son, Naruto-san. What can I help you with?"

"Father, Naruto has brought a butterfly to us. I believe that we already have one in captivity, but it is always good to have more. Do we have a pod to put it in?"

Shibi looked at the butterfly in Naruto's outstretched hands and nodded.

"Yes, I believe the pod by your aunt's house will accept it. I'm sorry Naruto-san, but I need to teach some things to Shino today. I can't allow him to play."

It wasn't apparent if Shino was frowning or not, but there was a slight buzz from his Kikai bugs. Naruto smiled and bowed to Shibi.

"That's all right. I was on my way to meet Gai-sensei for another taijutsu lesson. I just stopped by because I caught the butterfly. I apologize if I interrupted anything."

Shibi raised his eyebrows slightly and pushed his glasses up his nose further.

"It's quite all right. There was nothing interrupted yet. Good luck with your lessons Naruto-san."

Naruto nodded and left out the door, shutting it behind him. Shibi turned to Shino and rolled his shoulders slightly.

"I'm glad that you associate with that child Shino. He is a good influence on you and you on him."

"How so father?"

"You influence Naruto to act rationally and in your presence he is not as rash as he is with, say, Kiba. In addition, he is someone that you can identify with and spend time with as a friend. It is beneficial for the both of you."

Shibi stood and walked toward his son.

"Now come. I wish to test your progress with your colony."

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"HELLO NARUTO-KUN! ARE YOUR FLAMES OF YOUTH READY TO SHINE BRIGHTLY TODAY?"

"Uh, sure Gai-sensei. Are we going to try a new style today?"

"So quiet Naruto-kun. But, yes, we will try a new style today. I hope that this one will fit you, but we'll have to see. Have you succeeded yet in defeating Shikamaru in shougi?"

Naruto shook his head no.

"Do not worry. One day you will defeat him. Shikamaru is a sleeping genius that is not to be taken lightly. When you finally defeat him, it will shock him and he will redouble his efforts to beat you the next time, making you redouble your own efforts in a never ending, whirlwind of youthfulness! YO…"

"Gai-sensei! Can we please just do today's lesson?"

Gai sighed and stood straight again.

"Hai, I suppose we can. You need to let go of your youthful self sometimes Naruto-kun and not be so serious. It isn't conducive to a young boy's growth if he is so uptight."

"Jiji doesn't like it when I'm loud Gai-sensei, so I kind of like to keep it down."

Gai put his thumb to his chin and closed his eyes, as if thinking. He suddenly sprang into his 'nice guy pose' and let the sun glint off his teeth.

"YOSH! THEN IF YOU CANNOT SHOW YOUR YOUTHFULNESS THROUGH THE RAISING OF YOUR VOICE, I WILL DO IT ENOUGH FOR BOTH OF US!"

"Gai-sensei, I don't think you should do that. People get mad when you get too loud remember?"

"Ah yes, that's correct. Well, we'll let youthfulness slide for a moment and get on with your training. I found a style known as Kalaripayit, a style that promotes disabling strikes and elevates the strikes intensity as the fight goes on. It's very ancient and very complete."

Gai settled into the unfamiliar stance and Naruto mimicked him.

"Just follow my movements and flow through the kata. After a couple of hours of getting used to it, we'll try to apply what we've learned."

Naruto nodded and fell into the pace, letting his arms flow back and forth and placing his feet with care.

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A couple hours later, Naruto was moving slowly through a practical application of the art with a Tsuchi bunshin, when Gai called a halt to the procedures.

"I'd like to try it with you now Naruto-kun. We'll start slow and progressively get faster. By the time we're finished, hopefully we'll be going at about half-speed. Ready?"

"Ready sensei."

Gai moved in slowly and the two began to exchange a series of blows and kicks, bowing and ducking out of the way. As they became more comfortable with the style, they began to speed up until the sounds of fists on flesh echoed across the clearing. They weren't hitting hard enough to hurt one another too seriously, but the blows still brought winces.

They were enjoying themselves immensely and as time passed, it became less of a training exercise and more of a spar. Gai, in a moment of pure unyouthfulness, kicked Naruto a bit harder than he meant to and watched as the boy sailed toward a tree. He knew he couldn't catch him in time and watched as Naruto tried to halt his flight.

Naruto had known the exercise was becoming a bit more heated as they went on but hadn't expected his sensei to kick him so hard. He had turned so that he flew face first toward the tree and tried to duck to protect his face. When he didn't register hitting the tree he opened his eyes to find himself looking at the world in a totally different way.

Gai stood with a slack jaw and his hands at his sides. His student had just…disappeared. As he hit the tree, the boy just…went 'poof', gone, bye-bye. Gai let out a bellow and ran for the tree, searching all around it frantically.

Naruto watched the world in shades of black and white. His sensei was frantically checking everything around the tree and Naruto couldn't figure out why he could see as if he was inside something. He moved his arm around and found that he could see an outline of his body, but not the actual skin. It was…alarming.

"Gai-sensei?"

Gai heard the muffled voice and stopped running around.

"Naruto? Where are you?"

"I don't know. But you're right in front of me. Hang on, let me try something."

Gai stood stock still and watched with great fascination as Naruto's tanned hand emerged from the tree, the rest of his upper torso following. Gai began to hyperventilate as Naruto raised out of the tree as if he was part of it and eventually settled back on level ground.

"Naruto, what just happened? What did you do?"

The blonde recoiled from the sudden seriousness and backed against the tree.

"I…I don't know. I was heading toward the tree and thought about how much it would hurt and I closed my eyes and when I opened them everything was black and white. I could hear you and I could feel the vibrations when you touched the tree, but everything was in black and white. My body was only an outline but nothing hurt. I kind of felt…at peace."

Gai stood upright and grabbed Naruto by the shoulder.

"Naruto, take us to the Hokage. He needs to hear about this."

"Ha…hai, Gai-sensei."

Naruto formed the needed seal and they disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

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Sarutobi had been trying to relax in a rare moment of peace and quiet. He had the door locked, the windows drawn closed and all the paperwork was, for once, caught up for the most part. He had just opened up his favorite little orange book and was just about to start on the third chapter when he felt the telltale signs of a shunshin coming and slammed the book into a drawer. When he saw who the two in the middle of the whirlwind were, he sighed and put his head in his hands as he shook his head.

"All right, what the hell have you two blown up, destroyed, or broken this time?"

"Hokage-sama."

The serious note in Gai's voice was virtually unheard of by Sarutobi except in the direst situations. He immediately sat up straight and waited for whatever was to come.

"Report Gai."

"Hai, Hokage-sama. We were sparring, trying out a new taijutsu style, when I accidentally kicked Naruto too hard. He flew towards a tree and…disappeared into it."

Sarutobi's eyes widened slightly but he remained calm. This was bound to come one day. Better in front of Gai than someone else.

"Explain."

Naruto stepped forward slightly and told Sarutobi what he had told Gai about being inside the tree. The old Hokage sighed and fished his pipe out of his pocket.

"A moment please."

They watched as he packed his pipe slowly, lit it with a mild Katon jutsu, and took a long drag on it, letting the smoke plume around his head. He turned his eyes back to the two finally and nodded to himself.

"You two, come with me. We have something to discuss."

They walked out the door and Sarutobi waved to his secretary.

"I'll be out the rest of the day on an emergency. All meetings are cancelled."

"But Hokage-sama, what about the meeting with the council…"

"Tell the council I am not at their beck and call, they are at mine. The ninjas on the council will understand. Tell them it is about the future of the village. That is all. After you notify them, take the rest of the day off."

"Ha…hai Hokage-sama."

He nodded to the two behind him and continued on towards his house, Naruto and Gai following silently.

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Sarutobi stood in the middle of his yard, his robes fluttering in a small breeze as sensei and student stood before him. He turned toward the tree that Naruto had supposedly gone into and puffed on his pipe again.

"Show me."

Naruto looked toward the ground and shuffled his feet.

"I…I don't know if I can sensei. It was spur of the moment."

Sarutobi faced his grandson and knelt in front of him, putting his hands on his shoulders.

"Naruto, if you did what I think you did, it is nothing short of a miracle. Now please, show me what you did."

The boy nodded his head and approached the tree slowly, as if it would attack him. As he got closer his breath began to hitch and he reached out with great hesitation, only to sigh in relief when his fingers did not sink into the bark when he touched it. His senseis, however, were not amused.

"Naruto, I want to see what you did. Concentrate on going into the tree. You have to want to go into the tree. You said you felt at peace in there right? It won't hurt you."

"But sensei…"

Sarutobi steeled his expression and stood to his full height.

"Naruto, this is serious. You may have a power that has been dormant for centuries. We _need_ to know if it has manifested. Now…do as I say."

"Ha…hai, sensei."

Naruto turned around with a stoic expression on his face. He had been ordered to do this by his sensei, and while he hated to be ordered, his senseis were not to be disobeyed. He approached the tree one last time and let out a shaky breath as he concentrated and closed his eyes.

'I want to go into the tree, I want to go into the tree, please, don't let me fail.'

Sarutobi and Gai watched as the boy opened his eyes and began to melt into the tree hands first, until his whole body disappeared. Sarutobi stepped forward and rubbed the tree where his grandson had disappeared.

"Naruto? Can you hear me?"

A disembodied voice answered him.

"Hai sensei. I can hear you. You know, you look even older in black and white, every wrinkle is shown clearly."

Sarutobi smirked and smacked the tree hard.

"What was that for? The tree didn't do anything to you."

"That didn't hurt you, did it?"

"No, it just sent vibrations through me. Hey, let me try something. I'm gonna try to move around."

Sarutobi stepped back and waited for results. Gai merely stood agape. He had never known this was possible. Sure, some ninjas could move through the ground with chakra, but to be able to just phase into something without a conscious thought…it was unheard of.

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Naruto stared with wonder again as he played around with his new ability. His grandfather had taught him to analyze things when he found something new and he was currently checking out everything about his body in this black and white world.

His clothing, or anything that was an extension of himself, came with him. He turned his hands this way and that, looking at them from every angle before smiling. He'd heard from his grandfather that there were certain Doton techniques that allowed one to move through the ground by displacing the earth around them with chakra. After all, a ninja couldn't truly dematerialize. That would mean they weren't corporeal at all, but instead, were a ghost.

He'd heard that Hatake Kakashi was fond of the Head Hunter Jutsu and used it to confuse his enemies. A thought came to Naruto suddenly and he called out to his grandfather.

"Hey Jiji! Can you sense my chakra signature?"

Sarutobi listened to the disembodied voice and concentrated on where Naruto was. He couldn't detect even a faint trace.

"No, I can't. It's almost like you're truly part of the tree."

Naruto, emerged from a branch above them, his face visible.

"This is pretty cool. But how did I get such a power? You don't have it and neither do mom and dad."

Sarutobi winced and Gai looked anywhere but Naruto. The boy frowned. They were hiding something from him again. His grandfather's voice came slow, but steady.

"Naruto…that is something we will discuss in the near future, but not right now. You aren't ready to hear such things just yet. Please trust me."

The boy's scowl deepened further, but he nodded in consent. It wasn't the first time secrets had been held from him. His face melted back into the tree and Sarutobi and Gai searched for his chakra signature again.

Naruto slid his way through the tree towards the ground at a somewhat moderate pace. He wanted to see if the tree was the only thing he could disappear into or not. As he approached the ground, he felt a slight resistance before his body adjusted to the new substance and he continued along, underneath his two senseis, before rising slowly behind them.

Sarutobi and Gai were concentrating on the tree and not paying attention to what was behind them, when they felt Naruto's chakra behind them and turned to face two kunai to their faces.

"You'd both be dead right now if you hadn't been searching for me."

Gai smiled largely and so did Sarutobi. This _was_ the greatest stealth technique ever. Before Naruto could try to melt into something again, Sarutobi told them both to follow him to his study. Student and sensei did as told and made their way to the front door, following behind the now light-footed Hokage.

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Sarutobi beckoned both of them to a seat and took a chair in front of them. He thought it might take a while and have several interruptions from an overly excited Naruto, so he packed his pipe with a little extra tobacco. After letting the plumes of smoke encircle his head, he eyed the two before him.

"Naruto, Gai, what you just witnessed is an S-class secret. Neither of you are to discuss it with anyone but me until I deem otherwise. Naruto, what you hold is a kekkai genkai of a most unusual and coveted nature. You have the ability to melt into any substance you wish, hence why it is known as 'The Melt'. I don't want you flaunting it to others, am I clear?"

Naruto nodded and became serious himself.

"Hai sensei. But how do you know about this when no one else in the family has it? It's not something that just pops up on its own."

Sarutobi sighed and decided to try to defuse the situation. He didn't want to explain to a seven year old that he was adopted. In a couple years, yes, maybe, but not now. One revelation at a time.

"Naruto, as I've said before, I'll tell you in due time. Now, we're going to conduct several experiments. I want you to take this book and try to melt into it while holding it."

Naruto took the thick tome offered him and his hand began to melt into it, stopping at the elbow. He looked at the book quizzically and tried to force more of himself in. No go. Sarutobi nodded and took the book back, Naruto's arm emerging as it left.

"It seems that the object has to be able to hold your mass for you to melt completely into it, but even that is a most advantageous skill to have. You could avoid jutsus and strikes very easily if applied correctly. Now, let's talk a little about your training from here on out. We'll have to change things up slightly so that you can train your kekkai genkai as well."

The two before him nodded and Sarutobi turned to Gai.

"Is there anything you'd like to add Gai?"

"Hai Hokage-sama. Naruto-kun, I expect you to train twice as hard since you now have an advantage over other ninjas, but I don't want you to abuse it. You must not become a sole practitioner of one skill like those of the Byakugan and Sharingan. Do not let your kekkai genkai define you."

Sarutobi nodded and clapped his hands slightly.

"Very well put Gai. I agree Naruto, you should not rely on this new power solely because you have it. It would only limit your growth. Instead, learn when to apply it and let it be a trump card. Flaunting it will only bring your ruin as everyone will know what to expect of you. Don't be afraid to show your true power when necessary but do not flaunt that power. Don't be a show-off is what I'm trying to say."

Naruto grinned and rubbed the back of his head.

"But sensei, when have I ever been a show-off?"

"Whenever you're around Kiba."

The boy turned away from his senseis and slowly melted into the floor. Sarutobi yelled at him before he disappeared completely.

"We're not through here I'll have you know!"

That strange disembodied voice answered him back.

"I know, sensei. I'm just seeing what I can do inside the house."

The two adults watched as he popped in and out of the walls and ceiling for several minutes, before erupting from the ground quickly and reclaiming his chair.

"This ability is pretty cool. I'll have to work on it a lot."

"Hai, you will. Now let's discuss your new training regimen. We're going to have to completely overhaul it to make room for everything plus your duties at the tower."

Naruto groaned and hung his head. He _hated_ paperwork. Gai slapped him on the back and grinned at the boy's misfortune.

"Now, now, Naruto-kun. It's not so bad. Tell you what. Since today was our day for taijutsu, we'll take the rest of the day off and just relax. You can do whatever you want to do. But next time we'll redouble our efforts."

A light suddenly seemed to turn on in his head and Gai beamed down at his young student.

"I believe I have a style for you. Excuse me, I must go and study on it. If you can make it work, you will be extremely powerful. YOSH! I MUST GO NOW TO PROVE NARUTO-KUN'S SPRINGTIME OF YOUTH!"

He took off out of the room like a shot, leaving a wide-eyed Hokage and Naruto.

"Did…did he just make up a new way of expressing his youthfulness?"

Sarutobi reached over and whacked Naruto on the head with a book before leaning back again.

"I won't have you speaking like that in this house."

Naruto apologized and hung his head. He'd just realized what he'd said out loud.

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The next day was a busy one for Naruto. Sarutobi told Gai to take him out to one of the remote training areas and practice his new ability. Gai had taken them for what seemed like miles before stopping beside a river. Gai turned to Naruto and grinned.

"YOSH! THIS IS WHERE WE WILL TRAIN YOU IN YOUR NEW SKILLS TODAY NARUTO-KUN! I HAVE HERE A LIST OF EVERYTHING TO HAVE YOU TRY AND WE WILL START NOW!"

"Gai-sensei, you scared off the wildlife for over a mile."

"It doesn't matter. They'll return once they recognize my flames of youth will not harm them! Now, I want you to melt into the ground again here and try to make it to this marker I'm going to set up as fast as you can."

Gai raced over a hundred feet away and jammed a flag in the ground before standing upright with a stopwatch.

"READY? GO!"

Naruto melted into the ground as quickly as possible and sped as fast as he could toward the flag. He emerged from the ground beside the flag and, once his feet were solidly above ground, Gai stopped the watch.

"Ten seconds. That…is not very good, since I know that you can run much faster than that. While this technique is very stealthy, it does not contain speed yet. We'll have to work on that. But do not be discouraged my pupil! For I have a secret weapon to help that will mesh well with your kekkai genkai!"

Naruto perked up upon hearing this and looked at Gai with hopeful eyes. Perhaps, this would be the one he could use.

"But…it won't be very useful unless we increase your speed and strength. This style will use a lot of agility and strength, not to mention dexterity. You'll have to learn to grapple…but that will all come in due time! Now, my student, you will continue to train in your ability. You have shown that you can melt into solids, let us now try liquids. Stand on the water and try to melt into it, become one with it, LET YOUR SPRINGTIME OF YOUTH SHINE!"

"Gai-sensei, don't be so loud!"

Gai nodded and watched as Naruto walked out into the middle of the pond with little effort, concentrated for a bit…and fell into the water. Gai bellowed with laughter as his pupil climbed out of the water, soaking wet.

"It appears that liquids are beyond your ability Naruto-kun. Solids are the only friends of your uniqueness. Let's try to beat your time as we move on to different grounds. I want to see how you can move in solid rock."

Naruto nodded and melted into the ground again. He needed to get this down to second nature.

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Six months can change a lot of things.

After several experiments at their unofficial training ground, Gai and Naruto found themselves now tasked with integrating Naruto into his kekkai genkai. His speed with the melting ability was, as Gai said, 'adequate' for the moment, and they now were concentrating on other things. Gai insisted that basic Karate would work fine until he found a style that he could work into everything, but for now, they'd work on grappling. What Naruto didn't know is what that would entail. Currently, they sat with Sarutobi, in the Hokage's office with a TV in front of them.

Gai, ever the epitome of seriousness, stood to the side of the device while holding a remote control.

"I want the two of you to keep an open mind now. I have an idea that this could work wonders with Naruto's ability. Just…keep an open mind."

Naruto and Sarutobi exchanged a confused look and turned their attention back to the TV as Gai slid a tape in. The eccentric jounin had thrown virtually every fighting style possible at Naruto. What could possibly be so silly that they would ridicule it?

But then again, they were dealing with Gai…

An hour later, Sarutobi was puffing away on his pipe, watching Naruto jaw with his teacher.

"That? Gai-sensei, you want me to learn that? That's…it's…"

"Stupid?"

"Yeah! It's stupid. That stuff is fake. There's no way it would work."

Gai nodded and stood up, ejecting the tape.

"Hokage-sama, I want the two of you to follow me to your yard. I don't want anyone else to see this."

Naruto swallowed hard, thinking he had made his sensei angry. Sarutobi merely quirked an eyebrow and nodded to Gai, following him out.

He seemed to be following the strange man a lot lately…

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Gai stood with his hands on his hips, his face a note of pure seriousness.

"Hokage-sama, please produce a few Kage Bunshins for me. I want to demonstrate something."

Sarutobi nodded and made five bunshins, which all encircled Gai. Naruto swung his head back and forth between his two senseis.

"I've read about that jutsu before! What is a Kage Bunshin?"

"I'll explain later. Pay attention to your sensei."

Naruto nodded begrudgingly and turned to Gai.

"This, Naruto-kun, is most definitely _not_ fake. The moves I'm about to perform are extremely dangerous and, when used right, can be debilitating. Now watch."

Naruto watched in silence as the first clone approached Gai, only to suddenly look about as the man disappeared with pure speed. It found itself hoisted into the air, Gai's arms locked around its waist from behind, and its head and shoulders impacted with the ground as the green clad man bent backwards. Gai leapt to his feet and ran at another clone, jumping into the air and drilling into its chest with a dropkick.

Naruto's jaw was slack. The moves had appeared so fake on television. The men would get back up after moves that would most certainly kill a normal human and kept on fighting. It was choreographed and yet…ninjas did the impossible all the time. He watched as Gai grabbed another clone's neck in a headlock, threw its arm over his shoulder, and lifted it into the air before bringing it back to the earth, the top of its skull planted to the ground.

Gai locked his legs around another clone's neck before swinging backwards and dragging it headfirst into the ground with his weight. It disappeared and the last clone eyed him warily. It flashed behind him, but Gai leapt into the air with a backflip and brought his foot down onto the clone's neck at the base of the skull, dispelling it. He turned to his slackjawed student and gave his 'good guy' pose.

"YOSH! YOU SEE? YOU SHOULD NEVER MOCK ANOTHER MAN'S SKILLS, NO MATTER HOW CHOREOGRAPHED THEY SEEM! THOSE MOVES ARE JUST AS DEADLY IN A REAL FIGHT AS THEY ARE ON TV! YOU JUST HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO APPLY THEM!"

Naruto's brain finally caught back up and he ran in front of his sensei, wide-eyed and hungry for knowledge.

"Gai-sensei, what were those moves? When can I learn? And how will I apply them with The Melt?"

"Haha, my adorable student. Those were professional wrestling moves. The first was a move known as a German Suplex, a move that concentrates on an opponent's skull and shoulders. The second was a simple dropkick, the third was a brainbuster (self-explanatory), and the fourth is known as a huracanrana, a move made popular in lucha libre. The fifth is a personal favorite of mine. It is known as the pele and can be done anywhere at any time. Now, still don't want to learn?"

Sarutobi laughed at the two's enthusiasm. It was quite contagious.

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It was now Naruto's eighth birthday and all his friends had attended again. He and Shikamaru were engaged in a battle of wits in Shougi and he smiled as everyone watched. After almost a year of trying, he had Shikamaru backed into a corner. Unfortunately for Naruto, he had forgotten about the boy's thinking pose and soon found himself handed another loss.

'Damn, I should have remembered to tie his hands…'

"Good game Naruto, but you still haven't got there yet. I had to use my pose three times though..."

Naruto accepted his loss gracefully and sat down beside Hinata to enjoy some cake. His thoughts went back to the past year.

First and foremost in his mind was his kekkai genkai. He still had a lot of work to do on it, but he had time. He was only eight and yet, with the workload he had, he felt so much older. He'd learned so many things and then again, he hadn't. He'd been so preoccupied on The Melt that he hadn't learned more than a handful of new jutsus.

He had begun to learn a bit of the moves Gai-sensei had shown him but they were coming along slowly. He simply wasn't fast enough or strong enough for them to do any damage. He did incorporate the pele into his repertoire though. It was beautiful in its simplicity and usually was a knockout blow.

He had become faster with The Melt and could now move from one substance to another with little difficulty. They'd found that it did indeed not allow movement through water and other liquids but then, everything has its limits. While inside whatever he was hiding in, he had virtually no chakra signature. A good bonus for an assassin or a spy. The Hokage had even brought in a Hyuuga to scan the room while he hid and the man had detected no additional people in the room.

The Melt was indeed a strong asset but true to his promise, Naruto focused on other things. He increased his speed and strength training regimen, trying to get up to his and his senseis' high standards. His workload at the tower had increased and it wasn't strange to see him and Sarutobi working late. His studies under Yahiko had suffered, but Naruto made up for it by reading in his spare time.

A low point for the entire village had been the massacre of the Uchiha clan by one Uchiha Itachi. Naruto felt sorry for the only remaining survivor and had prayed that the souls of the Uchihas go to heaven, even if they didn't like him. He'd tried to get through to Sasuke, but the boy had only grown colder toward him, as if he was to blame. Naruto would never understand it.

Sarutobi had tried to get the boy a caretaker, but he had vehemently denied that he needed one. As an Uchiha, it would be shameful for him to rely on anyone else, he had said. He had only grown more introverted and angry as time passed.

Ino still hadn't spoken to him. Her father apologized profusely but Naruto waved him off. If Ino wanted to be difficult, then she could be difficult. It was her loss. He hoped one day to get his friend back though, even if she was bossy.

To Naruto, his life was good, but full of responsibilities and he didn't have nearly as much fun as he would like to have, but then again, that made the times he was able to play all the more special. If only he was able to play with his friends more often…

The party soon ended and Sarutobi approached Naruto with his hands behind his back once again.

"I hope you've had a happy birthday Naruto, because tomorrow you have a new duty at the tower."

"Guard duty?"

"No. You'll be helping me with my paperwork on a more…personal scale."

Naruto frowned.

"But Jiji, I already help with your paperwork."

"And that's where your present comes in."

Sarutobi produced a rubber stamp and an inkpad from behind his back with a devilish grin.

"Welcome to your first year of stamping documents Naruto. To make up for this new workload, I'll teach you a new jutsu that you've been craving to learn."

The boy leaned in eagerly, the smile on his face brightening the whole house. Sarutobi smiled and stood back upright, his hands behind his back again.

"I'll be teaching you Kage Bunshin…as soon as you learn the theory and all applications behind it."

Naruto couldn't have cared less what he had to learn to get the jutsu.

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As Naruto lay in bed (melting in and out of the mattress out of boredom), he wondered what the next year could be like. Konohamaru was starting to get to the point where he wanted to be like his big brother and it annoyed and made Naruto happy at the same time. He loved Konohamaru, but he was such a brat sometimes. With a sigh, he picked up a book on ancient weapons and began to flip through the pages, looking at the pictures.

His grandfather had said his kekkai genkai was meant for spies and assassins and while the thought should have revolted him, it didn't. The Melt was a part of him and if that was its purpose, then he would use it to its full potential. The only thing he was apprehensive about was his first kill. He didn't know how he'd take it and that worried him. He didn't want to break down and blubber like a baby, but Sarutobi had told him not to worry about it.

His first kill wouldn't come for a few more years, the old man had said.

Naruto blinked as he ran through the pages, searching for inspiration for a weapon. He needed something that would suit his kekkai genkai and help with his taijutsu. He needed something simple, yet elegant, deadly, yet subtle. Kunai weren't meant for slitting throats from behind and as an assassin that would be paramount.

He'd been allowed to read up on The Melt a bit and had found that it had originated in the now defunct Whirlpool Country. That only raised several more questions. His parents were Sarutobis and his name was Uzumaki. He'd never really thought about it till now, but it was starting to bug him. No one in his family looked like him. Hell, he looked more like the Yondaime...Before his brain was about to explode from too much thought he stopped on a particular page and photo.

_There_ was his weapon.

A slim, matte-black blade almost eight inches long with one razor sharp edge, serrated near the hilt. Leather wrapped four-inch handle that screamed 'hold me'. That blade was made for him. It was deadly. It was brutal. It was sublime.

It was him.

He put his hand over the photo and ran it across the page. This was what he'd been searching for. This was his weapon.

He earmarked the page and put the book on the nightstand. He'd need to visit the forge the next day to have it commissioned.

**If you're curious about the pele, go to YouTube and type in AJ Styles and Pele. It's a beautiful move. And as we get further into Naruto's life, it becomes more and more difficult. And more and more complicated. Stay tuned and let me know what you think. **


	7. Revelation

And here's Chapter 7. For the record, the wrestling bit with Gai last chapter? That was a joke people. It was meant to show how insane Gai is and his willingness to try anything. The knife fits into the story and it stays, period. Swords are way overused and I already have a story with _two_ zanbatous and a hammer. A knife is subtle and poignant, perfect for stealth. The knife in question is a hybrid of a Bowie knife and a USMC KaBar field knife. Awesome blades, very deadly, and definitely _not_ stubby. Eight inches of blade is enough to kill anyone and can slit a throat like paper. Anyway, folks, lighten up and let me tell the story. I'm known for humor, sick and twisted though it may be. You didn't think I wouldn't have a little fun in The Melt? Tsk, tsk. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...**Body Breakdown** _by Dragonforce._

**CHAPTER SEVEN **

Sarutobi glanced over at his grandson as they sat on their lunch break. The boy hadn't even touched his sandwich, opting instead to slip through a scroll and a book. His curiosity got the better of him and he sat his sandwich on the platter and turned to Naruto.

"What exactly are you doing over there? Your lunch is going to go bad."

Naruto looked up from his scroll and grinned.

"I'm trying to…uh, what was that word? Oh yeah! Multitask. I'm multitasking."

Sarutobi quirked an eyebrow and rolled his hand in a continuing gesture.

"And? On what?"

"I'm reading up on the Kage Bunshin and its applications and abilities while also reading up a bit on a certain weapon I've found interesting."

Sarutobi perked up instantly.

"And that is?"

Naruto opened the book up to the page the knife was on and Sarutobi looked hard at it. It was so plain looking and yet…it was exactly what he had imagined the other Uzumakis might have used. Perhaps it was ingrained in the boy's blood. He tried to read the excerpt under the picture but found it was in another language.

"So, what is it?"

"It was called a field knife I believe. The blade is about eight inches and the hilt is four."

Sarutobi nodded and sat back in his chair.

"That's a pretty big blade, especially for someone as small as you. Do you think you can handle it?"

"Aw come on sensei. Swords are way bigger than that and I can hold a sword easy."

"Hai, but knives and daggers are one handed use and that is a foot long knife. Knives also require a subtle finesse that is usually not found in swords. To use a knife, you have to be willing to get in close and get in the enemy's face. Swords allow a bit of distance still, but with a knife you are almost guaranteed to be cut."

Naruto frowned and went back to reading his scroll.

"I don't care. That knife is the only thing to catch my attention and I'm going to have one commissioned. I think I'll do great with it. My kekkai genkai is bred for stealth and assassinations anyway, so I need something that can do the things I need to do."

"Such as?"

Naruto sighed and looked back at his grandfather with a sad look.

"It's not something I want to do, but I've come to the realization that I'll have to kill at some point. It's unavoidable. It comes with our profession. I need something that will help me kill my enemies quickly and as painlessly as possible and I think that this knife will do it. I'd rather my enemies not suffer if possible."

Sarutobi nodded and took a sip of tea.

"That is a good attitude to have Naruto. No one wants to kill, except the depraved and the bloodthirsty. It's good to seek other solutions before you have to fight, but realizing you may have to kill is a start toward maturity. It's hopefully something you'll never come to enjoy, just something that, as a ninja, you learn to deal with."

Naruto nodded and turned back to his scroll, but Sarutobi wasn't through yet.

"What have you learned so far about Kage Bunshin?"

"I've learned that it splits chakra evenly between bodies. It's a jutsu that has many functions, the least of which is multiple bodies, turning a ninja into a one-man army. But the chakra cost is high, so not many can do it effectively or to a degree that makes it worthwhile. The information gathering aspect of it, though, is what catches my attention."

Sarutobi folded his hands and leaned forward on his desk. It always brought him joy when Naruto learned by himself.

"It says in the notes you gave me that a Kage Bunshin, once dispelled, returns its memories and anything learned to the maker. It's great for spying and that has been documented. But the learning aspect can also be applied to training apparently and _that_ is what makes me eager to learn it."

"Why?"

"Sensei, imagine it. I have a larger than natural chakra pool to pull from. If I could create a lot of bunshins then I could learn jutsus faster, read material more quickly, and study faster all in the same amount of time. It has unlimited potential. The things one can do with this jutsu and yet, the only drawback is an unnaturally high draw on chakra. But my level negates that and…sensei, you _have_ to teach me this."

Sarutobi nodded and puffed on his pipe.

"I'll show it to you this evening when we get home. It would be a boon to your studies very greatly. Speaking of which, how are your studies at home going?"

"Slowly. I've been reading up on seals in my spare time, but the literature on them is sparse and limited to sealing scrolls. I've made a couple myself but I know there is more to it than that."

"You've been making seals unsupervised? Naruto, that is extremely dangerous. If you mess up even one, there's no telling what could happen."

"Hai, hai, I know, I know. But I have to try it. Sealing interests me and I'd like to learn more. If Kage Bunshin works like the theory says it will, then I can learn more and become more diverse. I want to learn."

Sarutobi stared at his grandson and puffed on his pipe long and hard.

"I'll…allow you to look a bit more into sealing, but only if I'm present. There aren't many seal masters in the world Naruto, and it is a very dangerous, but very fulfilling art to pursue. You must promise to be careful."

"I promise."

"Good. Now, what about your training with Gai? How is that going?"

Naruto huffed and sat back in his chair with crossed arms.

"Remember the wrestling Gai-sensei showed us? Well, most of it isn't practical in a battle. I'm not nearly as fast as he is, so doing any of those moves leaves me open to attack. Hand signs are still doable if the hands are left unchecked and a kawarimi is possible if the ninja can do it seallesly. I have incorporated a few of the more unorthodox strikes into my repertoire however."

"Ah yes, Gai said you had perfected the pele into an artform. He said it is poetry in motion when you do it."

"I think that's taking it a little far, but it is a move I enjoy greatly. No one ever expects it. I have taken to Kalaripayit and it has been the easiest taijutsu to accommodate me. But wrestling, unless I get taller and stronger, will be beyond me. Grappling is still a part of both the taijutsu and The Melt however."

"Yes, well, we can't all be freakish physical specimens like Gai. Don't worry, you're young yet. Now, show me that knife again. It intrigues me."

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Naruto shunshined the two of them home as quickly as possible and was practically bouncing up and down as he waited for his lesson. Sarutobi stood with his hands behind his back, a smile on his face. It was so wonderful teaching. The two heard the sound of the door sliding open and Konohamaru came bounding out into the yard.

"I wanna learn too!"

Naruto ruffled his brother's hair and grinned.

"Sorry ototo. You're too little to learn this. But when you're old enough, I'll show you how to do it ok?"

Konohamaru sat down and began to pout.

"But I wanna learn now! Jiji says I need to learn early so why can't I learn this?"

Sarutobi laughed at his grandsons and shook his head.

"Konohamaru, have you unlocked your chakra yet?"

"No."

"Have you started being a ninja yet?"

"No."

"Then I'm afraid I can't teach you this technique yet. I'll show it to you when you're older ok?"

"But…I wanna learn with aniki…"

"And one day you will. Now, please stand back and I'll show Naruto how to do this."

Konohamaru went and sat down on the porch and watched with his cheeks in his hands. He wanted to be a ninja too!

Sarutobi chuckled and turned back to Naruto.

"Now, you learned the theory faster than I thought you would. Let's see if you can apply it. First, there is only one hand seal to make a Kage Bunshin."

"Seriously? I thought with as powerful as it is, there would be more seals."

"Not so much. Several powerful techniques only take a couple of hand seals. It's the chakra capacity that makes them unusable to most. Now, form this cross seal."

Naruto mimicked his grandfather to the 't'.

"Now, push as much chakra into it as you can so we can see where you stand. Don't worry about wasting chakra at first. We'll get the load of chakra down later. Gai has told me you can do the water walking exercise quite well now. We'll have to move up to something more…unorthodox. Anyway, before I go off on a tangent, push as much chakra as you can into the jutsu."

Naruto nodded and began to channel chakra into the jutsu. He concentrated hard and pushed with all his might. When he heard his grandfather and Konohamaru gasp, he opened his eyes and did a little gaping of his own.

He'd been taught that the hand signs were simply a focus to help the chakra flow better and manipulate easier. He'd been doing chakra exercises since he was little, so he knew his control was good. He knew his chakra wells were extremely large for a kid his age. So he had expected, with the amount of chakra the move took, to make a couple bunshin.

What he found were almost ten, looking around confused.

Sarutobi walked forward and grabbed one by the arm, surprising it and causing it to jerk away.

"Hey old man, what was that for?"

Sarutobi quirked an eyebrow and glared at Naruto. The boy rubbed the back of his head and grinned.

"Uh, it wasn't me?"

"I'll be taking this one and walking around to the front of the house. I'm going to tell it something and I want you to tell me what I said when I come back."

Naruto nodded and watched as the clone and his grandfather walked around the corner. A couple minutes later, images of his grandfather whispering in his ear came into his mind and he blushed, causing Konohamaru to tilt his head in confusion. Sarutobi emerged in a swirl of leaves not a few seconds later and Naruto glared at the man.

"You…are a dirty old man, Jiji. Mom will be angry when she finds out what you told me."

"If you want to continue learning jutsus, I suggest you keep what I told you to yourself."

"…I'll be good."

"That's what I thought. Now I want you to practice with this a bit more. Have the clones do some chakra exercises and you'll see an improvement if they do them right. I'm starving and I'm going to dinner. Come on Konohamaru, we'll leave your brother to his own devices."

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Naruto stared at all his clones and they stared back. He raised a hand and waved.

"Hi."

The clones waved back and said 'hello' in a collective voice.

"So…what should I do now?"

One clone shrugged and grinned.

"We dunno. You're the boss. How about the leaf exercise?"

Naruto thought for a second and then grinned.

"Nah, that's too easy. I've got a better idea."

He bent over and picked up a few pebbles from the ground, tossing them in his hands.

"Let's go to the study and see if we can't find some books on seals and something on my kekkai genkai. If you guys can give me memories and learn, then you can balance these pebbles on your foreheads with chakra while you read."

"Aw but that sounds hard…"

"Hey, I'm the boss remember? Now let's go. I want to try to learn something new before I go eat."

The nine clones followed Naruto inside and chose a book from the shelf and a pebble from his hand before lining the walls in a cross-legged position. Whenever a clone learned something of interest, it would read until it had found out everything about that subject and would release. Naruto had read up on the danger of releasing significant amounts of clones at once and didn't want to slip into a coma from information overload.

The last clone was reading on seals and Naruto was happy with his results from the others so far. As they dispelled, they relayed whatever information they had uncovered, along with helpful hints for keeping the pebbles aloft on the forehead. Every time one dispelled, he would adjust his chakra this way or that to accommodate and make the process easier.

He'd learned that The Melt was indeed an assassination jutsu originating from the country of Whirlpool. The clone had dug a little bit further, being curious, and had found that, while there were Uzumakis originating from there, there were no Sarutobis. None of his mother's family had come from there either…and that bothered him.

Another had been learning about seals and had found that one could make explosive seals by making a correct array of seals and imbuing them with chakra. Of course, he'd need his grandfather's permission before he attempted that. His mother would kill him if he blew anything in the household up.

All the others had learned little tidbits here and there, but nothing substantial like the other two. Some more on sealing scrolls and the correct application, a couple of things on the Kage Bunshin that he could try. But the final clone hadn't dispelled yet and he was curious as to what it was reading about. It finally looked up at him and blinked slowly.

"I studied up on seals and came across a most interesting find. I think you'll want to know this…and probably read it for yourself."

"What did you read about?"

"Sealing and the bijuu. I don't know why, but it caught my attention."

"Bijuu? Where have I heard that word before?"

"It's what the Kyuubi no Youko was. You know, the fox that attacked all those years ago and the Yondaime killed? I was interested in that because those things are supposed to be invincible and immortal. How could you seal something like that? The further I read, the more...Well, you…just read it."

The clone dispelled and when the information hit Naruto's brain, his eyes went wide. He flew to the book and slammed it onto the table before reading it as fast as he could. He was nearly frantic as he skimmed through the passages.

_Yondaime subdued the beast by summoning the Shinigami…sacrifice is needed to capture the beasts…jinchuuriki…child…undeveloped chakra coils…power…sacrifice…child…_

Naruto sat back in the chair and closed the book, trying to stop his hitching breath. What if…no, it couldn't be. Then, he remembered back to when he had first been training with his grandfather. A strange tattoo had appeared on his stomach and he had asked what it was, since it only appeared when he channeled chakra. Sarutobi had faltered in his explanation, but had played it off as a family tattoo, one that hadn't been used in ages. But they'd decided to start the tradition up again with him. He'd bought it then, but now…

He ripped his shirt off and stood in front of the full-length mirror in the corner, molding the chakra and watching as the tattoo appeared. Naruto had been studying seals on a limited basis, but he could recognize several things about it. This 'tattoo' had all the makings of an extremely powerful seal. A seal that held something powerful at bay, something that could be dangerous.

His thoughts were harried as he sorted through them. This _was_ a seal, no doubt about it. It was a containment seal. He knew that. Now, what did it contain? The clone had said that it had been reading about the bijuu…and Naruto's eyes widened.

He tried to calm himself by thinking rationally. Ok, first, if it did contain something, what would it be. If it was a bijuu, which bijuu? His eyes widened as he came to only one conclusion. He was called a demon by the villagers, and either revered or given the cold shoulder by the ninjas. His birthday was the same day as the Kyuubi's defeat. The same day as the festival he had never been to. He was born the same day the Kyuubi attacked…

He looked at himself closely in the mirror. The clone had read that jinchuuriki take on the aspects of their bijuu. Kiba and Shino said he smelled like a fox all the time. Those scars that adorned his face looked suspiciously like whisker marks and were very sensitive. And his canines were abnormally long for a human, but he'd chalked it up to a birth deficiency. But…what if it wasn't?

He had to be calm, he had to think clearly. His parents loved him and his little brother adored him. His grandfather loved him. The servants loved him. If he was a monster, then would they love a monster? He looked back into the mirror and fingered his blonde hair. It was spiky and neon blonde, not like any of his family. In fact, he looked like…

No, that was preposterous. There was no way. But…there was only one way he would find out.

He slowly walked out of the study, the book tucked firmly under his arm.

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Sarutobi and his family were talking quietly at the table when they heard Naruto's footsteps approaching slowly. Eri turned to greet her son and gasped at the sight of him, causing everyone to turn and look. What they saw was heartbreaking.

Naruto stood with his shirt torn and hanging off his waist, a book in his hands, tears streaming down his face. His chest was heaving with his unwillingness to cry and his teeth were grinding from his need to let it all out. Eri stood and made her way to her son, only for him to flinch away from her.

"Naruto, what's wrong?"

Naruto ignored her and stared at his grandfather with mournful eyes.

"Is it true? Am I a monster?"

Sarutobi looked at him in surprise.

"What do you mean Naruto?"

The boy growled and the tears flowed harder.

"You know _exactly_ what I mean. Or do I have to spell it out for you?"

He threw the book onto the table and molded chakra so that his seal showed.

"What is this Jiji? It's not a tattoo. I may have only studied seals for a little while, but even I know this is a containment seal. Who am I, really? What am I?"

Sarutobi hung his head. This was a moment he had been dreading for a long time.

"Aoi, escort Konohamaru to another room and tell everyone not to interfere. Eri, Yahiko, you stay. Naruto will need your support."

Konohamaru looked up to Aoi as they walked out.

"What's wrong with aniki?"

Aoi smiled down at the young boy and ushered him out, closing the door behind them.

"Nothing Konohamaru. Just a disagreement with your parents and grandfather."

Konohamaru nodded and allowed himself to be led away. Naruto watched him go and turned back to the three before him. Sarutobi motioned to a seat near the head of the table.

"Please sit Naruto. This wasn't supposed to be explained to you until much later. But…circumstances have seen otherwise. I'll explain whatever I can."

Naruto nodded and sat down, his hands balled into fists.

Sarutobi sighed and steeled himself for what was to come.

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"First off Naruto, I want you to know that we love you and we'll never hate you. Just…know that and believe it. I'll do my best to explain to you the whole story, or the parts I am allowed to say."

Naruto nodded and wiped his eyes.

"I know you love me Jiji and I know mom and dad do, but what am I? Am I a monster like the villagers say I am?"

"NO! You are most definitely not a monster. You're a hero Naruto. You keep us safe every day from a terrible beast."

"What beast?"

Eri moved around the table to hold him and, though he struggled at first, he soon accepted her embrace. He needed the reassurance.

"Naruto…you hold the Kyuubi no Youko, the most fearsome of all the tailed beasts. You are its container."

"I'm a jinchuuriki, a power of human sacrifice.'

Sarutobi winced. So the boy knew more than he thought.

"Why don't you tell me what you know Naruto, and I'll fill in the blanks where I can?"

Naruto nodded and scooted into his mom's embrace a little more.

"I know I'm a jinchuuriki. I know it's the Kyuubi. I know that I'm hated by the larger population of the village. I know that I'm more powerful than I should be for my age. What I want to know is why me? Why give me this burden? Did the Yondaime hate me? Why am I different?"

"The Yondaime most certainly did not hate you. The reason he chose you is…complicated and one of the things I can't tell you about right now."

"WHY NOT? NO MORE SECRETS JIJI! I WANT THE TRUTH!"

Eri squeezed his shoulders and he began to sob again. Sarutobi's face was awash with shame and he hung his head.

'Minato, Kushina, how can I tell him? How can I reassure him? Gods, help me.'

"Naruto…"

Several minutes of silence went by as he thought about what to say. Naruto had stopped hiccupping and was now flanked by both of his parents, one on each side. Sarutobi looked up with a single tear running down his craggy face.

"I can't tell you yet Naruto. It's part of a promise I made to a very special man. I'll tell you when I am allowed to and not a minute earlier. I'm sorry. I just can't."

Naruto was not happy with that answer. He was pissed, but even he realized that a promise was a promise and you just don't break those.

"All right…jiji…I won't ask again, as long as you promise to tell me later."

Sarutobi nodded and wiped away his tear. Naruto took a shuddering breath and stared the old man in the eye.

"Who are my parents?"

Eri and Yahiko gasped, and Eri squeezed Naruto into a bone-crushing hug.

"Naruto, _we're_ your parents. We love you. Can't you see that?"

"I know mom. I know you love me. And you're my parents, that's true, but you didn't give _birth_ to me."

Eri leaned back shocked and held him by the shoulders.

"How…how did you know?"

Naruto let out a small chuckle and pulled a photo out of his pocket. It was a picture taken on the first day of his life when he was brought to the compound.

"Come on mom, I'm not blind and I'm not stupid. Dad's made me study physiology and biology a bit and I know that a pregnant woman after birth is not that fit. She doesn't look fresh as a daisy and she's not going to be doing very well right after the greatest demon ever attacks. Two and two makes four."

Sarutobi packed his pipe and leaned forward on his elbows.

"You're right Naruto. Eri and Yahiko are not your birth parents. But…they are your parents by all rights. They raised you to be a fine young man and they love you. You can't deny that."

"No…I can't. But…who were my parents?"

Sarutobi frowned and lit his pipe. Thank god for tobacco.

"As a future Hokage and knowing protocol as I've taught you, you know there are certain class levels of secrets that are beyond you at the moment. That…is one of them. I can't reveal who your parents are."

"But they were from Whirlpool right?"

Sarutobi sighed and blew a large plume of smoke.

"Your birth mother was, yes. That's as much as I'm telling you. All their records are sealed and are classified as an S-class secret. You'll learn more when I deem you ready. Your parents…had many enemies Naruto."

"Were…were they bad people?"

The adults all stared at each other and laughed out loud at the ludicrous thought. Naruto began to get angry and slammed his fist on the table.

"Oi! It was a serious question. Were they bad people? Is that why they had so many enemies?"

Yahiko got his laughter under control and hugged his son.

"No Naruto, they weren't bad people. Quite the contrary in fact. The reason they had so many enemies is because they were such upstanding citizens. But we'll tell you about them later."

Naruto nodded and suddenly an idea came to him.

"Do I have any living relatives? Someone who knows more about the bloodline?"

Sarutobi shook his head and sighed.

"Unfortunately, I don't believe that there are any of your relations living. If there are, they are scattered to the wind and you're likely never to find them. I'm sorry Naruto, but it seems that you'll have to learn about your kekkai genkai by yourself, the hard way."

The boy sighed and leaned back into his seat. He was emotionally drained.

"So…where do we go from here? I know you want me to be Hokage after you jiji. Is that because of what I contain?"

"Part of it. Truth be told Naruto, you don't have a lot of options for a future. Your…status and what you hold is general knowledge to the bulk of Konoha. The only ones who don't know are the children your age. I made a law long ago saying that no one would tell the younger generation about your…tenant. I'd hoped it would allow you to have a somewhat normal life, but from an early age, the people shunned you, even knowing that you were my grandson."

"Will it affect Konohamaru?"

"I should think not. They refer to him as 'honorable grandson' already, an act you never received. Our family is not popular for our decision to take you in, but we are still revered nonetheless. Don't worry about us."

"Do you think it wise to make me your successor?"

"Naruto, you were born to be a shinobi. It's in your blood. If you're going to be something, you might as well shoot for the stars. Not only do you have the ability to be Hokage, you have the qualities of one."

"What do you mean?"

"You constantly put others before yourself. You were worried about how the villagers would treat Konohamaru, not yourself. You seek only to gain power and knowledge so that you can better yourself to help your family. These are things that are paramount in a Hokage and the reason you are my chosen."

Sarutobi moved across the room to stand in front of Naruto and placed his hands on the boy's shoulders.

"You've taken all this better than I could have ever imagined Naruto, and I'm glad that we got to tell you instead of some ignorant fool that hates you for what you hold. We love you and never let anyone tell you otherwise. We're so proud of you."

He wrapped the boy in a hug and Eri and Yahiko watched with pride filled smiles as Naruto began to sniffle and the tears began to fall again. But tears of joy are different from tears of sadness or anger. They feel sweeter and cooler on the skin and don't burn the eyes. They feel…right.

"I love you all. I'm just glad I'm not a monster."

The adults looked at him and all said at the same time.

"We love you."

Naruto grinned and was about to say something, but his stomach let out a thunderous groan and he gripped it tightly.

"I…guess I shouldn't have skipped supper."

The adults all laughed and Eri went to fetch him something to eat while Yahiko and Sarutobi sat down again to talk with the boy.

"So son, how did you read about the Kyuubi?"

"I made my Kage Bunshin read all about seals and one found a book on the bijuu. One thing led to another and I ended up thinking about all the things in my life and why I look different from everyone in the family."

"You used Kage Bunshin to read?"

"Well…yeah. Isn't that one thing they're good for?"

The gleam in Yahiko's eyes didn't settle Naruto for a moment.

"Guess who's studies just got tripled because of an overabundance of available time now?"

Naruto cringed. Sarutobi laughed. At least everything was all right now. Konohamaru ran back into the room in front of Eri and ran to Naruto.

"Aniki, why were you crying? Was someone mean to you?"

Naruto hugged Konohamaru and laughed over his shoulder. It was so great having a little brother who looked up to you.

"No ototo, no one was mean to me. I was just finding myself."

Konohamaru had no idea what that meant, but at least his aniki wasn't crying anymore.

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The next day found Naruto in the Hokage tower with a bright smile on his face. It was infectious to nearly everyone that came across him as he sat at his desk, his hat on sideways, merrily stamping papers. Sarutobi sat at his desk listening to a report from one Hatake Kakashi.

"And that's what happened Hokage-sama. The goods were delivered and everything turned out all right."

"Very good Kakashi. Just hand Naruto your report and he'll file it away."

Kakashi nodded and walked over to the boy's desk. He wondered to himself why some hated the boy for what he held. It wasn't his fault. Kakashi himself was indifferent to the lad. His sensei was dead because of what he held, but he wouldn't hate the boy because of that. Indifference was his answer to the dilemma.

"Here is my report Naruto-san. And what makes you so happy today?"

He hadn't really wanted to strike up a conversation with the young boy, but his curiosity could only take so much. Naruto grinned up at him and took the offered paper.

"I found myself last night Kakashi-san. That's all."

Kakashi looked at him quizzically before shrugging and walking away. The boy was a strange one…

But if you had Maito Gai for a sensei, then you'd be a little strange as well.

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Once Kakashi left, Naruto looked up at the clock and smiled. It was nearly lunchtime. Today, he thought, necessitated a shopping trip.

"Hey sensei, you up for a trip to the weapons shop? I want to see if I can get that knife commissioned."

Sarutobi looked up from a report he was writing and smiled. Yes, he could stand to get out of the office.

"Sure Naruto. Consider this a late birthday gift on my behalf and a way of saying how proud I am of you."

Naruto beamed and returned to his paperwork, hurrying as fast as he could.

Things were starting to look up.

**Booyah! I'm happy with this one. Let me know what you think. And if there are any artists out there, I'd love to see some of my characters on paper. I already have a fellow who's drawn Hikaru from BHSD. **_Thinking About It_**, you're an awesome dude.**


	8. Headaches

And here's Chapter 8. I just have a quick note for the anonymous Iscariot. Dude, I was perfectly fine with you not wanting to read The Melt anymore (even though the wrestling thing was just a joke). I was perfectly fine with your opinion that I was a decent writer and it was a bad idea. But then you had to go and call me an acne-ridden redneck who likes NASCAR. Why, man, why? Did it make your pecker grow bigger by calling me names in a way in which I can't defend myself to you without going to a public forum (like this Author's Note)? That's why I hate anonymous reviewers...

The rest of you enjoy the chapter. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...**Prayer**_ by Disturbed._

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

Naruto smiled as he and Sarutobi walked down the street back toward the tower. His knife had just been commissioned and the smithy had said he would notify the Hokage when it was done. As they walked down the street, Naruto nodded to those who smiled at him. Those who didn't he turned his nose up at…they didn't deserve his smile. They weren't worthy. Now that he knew what he held, he had no patience for these people. He would protect them because it was his duty and for no other reason until they came to their senses.

Sarutobi and his parents had sat with him at dinner and explained that he should not hold the villagers in contempt. Sarutobi explained the law he had made upon Naruto's birth and the punishments that came with revealing it. This law didn't apply to Naruto though and he was free to tell whomever he wanted. He had nodded and said he would choose who he told with care. Hinata, Shino, and Shikamaru were high on his list of possible confidants.

Yahiko explained the psychology behind the whole ordeal. The villagers were ignorant and stupid, but they felt loss and found him an easy target to blame. Human nature demands that there be someone to place the blame on and Naruto unfortunately drew that lot in life. He had said that he would not seek retribution against them as long as they did not raise a hand against him. Sarutobi had said that was a fair concession. As a future ninja and Hokage, self-defense was a paramount thing.

Naruto saw the young Uchiha boy again in the crowd and decided that perhaps a test was in order. He tugged on his grandfather's sleeve and bid him to bend down.

"Sensei, I want you to use a jutsu to hide and watch what happens when I approach Sasuke. I don't know why he doesn't like me, but he has called me a demon before and I want to find out who told him that."

Sarutobi frowned and narrowed his eyes.

"Are you looking to get someone in trouble Naruto?"

"No. I'm looking to find out who did it so that maybe I can change his perspective. Sasuke's had it rough, but he's such an ass about everything. Lots of the girls won't play with me anymore because they like him and he doesn't like me. I'd just like to find out why."

"I'll watch. But the second it gets out of hand, I'll step in, understood?"

Naruto nodded and walked off to engage the last Uchiha in Konoha. At least his week wasn't shaping up to be boring.

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Sasuke saw him coming and immediately turned away. He didn't need this today. He didn't want to have to deal with the blonde that his father had called a 'demon'. Truthfully, he didn't know why his father had called the blonde such a thing, but his father was a wise man and Sasuke wanted his approval, so if he said the blonde was a demon, then a demon he must be.

His eyes darted left and right, looking for an exit, but found none readily available. What he didn't know was that Sarutobi had cast a subtle genjutsu over the area that made it seem that all the passages were blocked. Sasuke readied himself for whatever came his way, while looking for potential help from the villagers.

The damned demon wouldn't seduce him, that was for sure…

Naruto padded up to Sasuke slowly and gave a friendly wave as he approached. His smile faltered slightly when the brunette glared at him, but he maintained it. Everyone had stopped suddenly and watched as the blonde Hokage-to-be walked up to the Uchiha with a bright smile in place. They were all on edge. Perhaps this would be the day that the boy snapped and tried to finish the job that another demon had started.

"Heya Sasuke-san! How's it going?"

"…go away."

Naruto stared at the boy and tilted his head. This is why he hated trying to make new friends. It was like they were conditioned against him from birth. He slipped his hands inside his sleeves to hide his whitening knuckles from his fists being clenched. His sensitive hearing could pick up the people in the background muttering about how he was mocking the Sandaime by wearing an imitation of his Hokage robes. It's not like Naruto liked the damn ensemble…one of the first things he was going to change when he got into office…

"I'm not going away Sasuke. I have a couple questions for you, that's all."

"I don't have to tell you a thing, demon."

Naruto heard several people snicker behind him and turned to give them a powerful glare, nailing many to the spot. Sarutobi's lips quirked slightly. The boy had quite the powerful killing intent when he wanted…and did it without realizing it. The blonde turned back to the Uchiha and frowned.

"Look, I don't know where you get off calling me a demon. I'm Uzumaki Naruto, not 'demon'. Where did you get the idea I'm a demon anyway?"

Sasuke sneered and put his hands in his pockets.

"My father said you were a demon in disguise all the time. He had his eye on you for quite some time before he…passed on."

Naruto noticed the sadness in the boy's voice, but felt little pity. His eyes cut around to find many of the young boy's supporters with tears in their eyes. Pitiful. The boy didn't need pity, he needed someone to take care of him. Why his grandfather insisted on letting him live alone was beyond him. It wasn't conducive to his mental health.

"Sasuke, let me ask, since when have I ever seemed demonic to you? Have I ever hurt you? Have I ever tried to do harm to you? Have I?"

"No…but, Father always said you were lying in wait, for the right moment to strike. He said you should be killed. And once I have avenged my family…I'll carry out my father's wish."

Sarutobi looked around to find many with smug looks on their faces. So, this is what they thought should be done? He'd need to redouble Naruto's training immediately. His ninjutsu training would begin _tonight_. If death surrounded Naruto even in his home village, then he would need to be able to do what he needed to protect himself.

"The Sarutobis have obviously been swept up by whatever spell you have them under. Once you're dead, it will break and they can once again become a great clan. They have lost their Will of Fire since they took you in."

Naruto growled and bared his fangs. Many gasped when they saw them. It didn't help his image any.

"And what would you know of the Will of Fire?"

"I know you'll never have it. Now, I'll be on my way. I have better things to do than stand here talking to a good-for-nothing demon."

Sasuke made a show of walking by Naruto slowly, to show he wasn't frightened of the demon. But he found his progress halted by a strong grip on his forearm, a grip which shouldn't have been possible on an eight year old. The voice Naruto spoke in was grating and more than a little frightening. And to top it all off, it was like the air had gotten thicker, making it harder to breathe.

"_Tell me Sasuke, if I was a demon, then wouldn't treating me like this be a surefire death sentence for yourself? If I was a demon, then for treating me like this, I would see you all burn."_

Naruto let the boy go and the harrowing experience was gone. Naruto turned to Sasuke and all the frightened villagers and smiled widely, his fangs glinting like Gai's teeth in the sunlight.

"Luckily for you, I'm not a demon. Konoha is my village and I'll protect it, even for ungrateful people like you. Have a nice day."

Naruto made his way through the crowd with no resistance, back toward the Hokage tower. Sasuke finally caught his breath and turned away from the people seeing if he was all right, seething to himself.

'How? How? How can he have such a presence? I'll find out one day demon, and on that day, I'll end both yours and Itachi's lives. This I swear.'

Neither had noticed the pink and blonde haired girls in the alleyway that had been shadowing the Uchiha.

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"See? My mom said he was a bad person and Sasuke-kun said he was a demon. Didn't you feel that…weight…when he looked at Sasuke? It was like the sky fell."

Ino frowned and looked at the ground. It had been several years since she had spoken to her fellow blonde and truth be told, she kind of missed him. He was another boy to boss around and he was nice. But too many people had said he was bad and she had believed them. And after that little stunt…Ino wasn't sure who was right anymore. It was true what Naruto said, that if he was a demon then they'd all be dead. But what Sasuke had said was true too. Demons were crafty and masters of the wait. He could just be waiting for the moment to strike.

"Sakura, I'm not sure. Naruto's never hurt any of us. Let's see what happens in the future and then we'll go from there."

The pinkette looked horrified.

"You're not going to talk to him are you?"

"No. But I'm going to keep my eye on him. Naruto is a mystery…and I hate mysteries…"

The two walked in silence to the playground and fell into the games with the other children, losing themselves in the mindless chasing and darting about. Soon, they'd start classes at the academy and their lives would change.

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Sarutobi let his camouflage drop and locked step with his grandson, startling many people as he did. He didn't say a word until they were safely back in his office and he shut the door.

"Was that really necessary?"

Naruto looked at him, totally innocent in his demeanor.

"Was what necessary?"

"You know what I mean. The killing intent, was that necessary?"

Naruto shrugged and shuffled some papers on his desk.

"If he won't be my friend and insists on trying to kill me, then I think he should learn to fear me as soon as possible. I'm not going to go out of my way to be friends with these people. Not anymore."

Sarutobi blinked and pulled out his pipe slowly. These philosophical battles with Naruto could be so tiring.

"So…you plan to rule with fear then? That's a poor way to rule Naruto and only brings sorrow. You can't rule through fear alone."

"Then I'll let my deeds in the name of Konoha guide my way. I won't cowtow to these people only to end up on the short end of the stick later in life when they think they have me under their thumb."

Sarutobi nodded and stood facing his panoramic window. The view of the Hokage Mountain was a calming thing, something his nerves needed. He didn't notice his grandson scrutinizing the photos on the wall that mirrored the stone faces.

"Hmmm…"

Sarutobi heard the mumble and listened intently. Naruto had a bad habit of talking to himself out loud and it led to humorous things at times.

Too bad for Sarutobi this wasn't one of those times.

"…blue eyes…blonde hair…same style too…looks just like I will in a few years probably…"

The more the boy talked, the more Sarutobi began to sweat and the harder he sucked on his pipe.

"…it's him, isn't it?"

Sarutobi took a great tug on his pipe, trying to ignore the question. Maybe if he ignored it, it would go away.

"It's ok Jiji, you don't have to answer. I already know the answer. I know…because it's so obvious. How could anyone not see it?"

"Naruto…"

"I know, I know. You can't tell me, but that's ok…"

Sarutobi turned to see the boy beaming, and looked back to the picture of the Yondaime.

'Ye gods, he's right. How could anyone _not_ see it?'

"…I know who he is and I know where I come from. Now, I'm even more eager to hear about them."

"Naruto…how did you come to that conclusion?"

"Is this a confession?"

"No, I'm not confirming anything. I just want to know what makes you so sure."

Naruto stared at his grandfather in obvious confusion. Standing up, he strode across the room and took the picture off the wall and held it up beside his face.

"Hello? Is it just me…or is everyone blind in Konoha? Or do they willingly have on blinders…you know what, don't answer that. I already know. They probably see me as an affront to his legacy, since I'm a carbon copy of him and all."

Sarutobi winced again. Gods, why couldn't he just tell the boy? It wasn't like he didn't already know. Damn Minato and his stupid promises.

"The Yondaime never had a documented bloodline, so I'm guessing that the Melt came from my mother."

"Naruto…please…please, just drop it. Please. I can't tell you, so stop digging. I can tell you when you make Chuunin. Those are the rules."

The boy nodded and went back to his paperwork. Sarutobi sighed and told his secretary to usher in his next appointment. He frowned when he saw who it was.

"Ah, Hokage-sama. How are you today?"

"I'm just fine Danzo-san. What can I do for you?"

"Nothing really. I just came to confirm something I heard earlier."

Sarutobi was immediately on guard.

"And that would be?"

"I have heard that there was an altercation between young Naruto and young Sasuke in the market place. The rumors say that young Naruto unleashed quite the bit of killing intent on the Uchiha and the civilian populace."

"Unintentional, I assure you. It was simply an argument between two boys who are going to begin entering puberty in a few years. Boys will be boys."

"I also heard that they threatened each other with death."

"Danzo…if you know what is good for you, you'll drop your line of questioning now. This is not under your jurisdiction. In fact, if I remember right, nothing is truly under your jurisdiction. You are on the council, a body of government that acts as advisors in dire circumstances for the good of the people. Don't overstep your boundaries."

The one armed man appeared unaffected on the outside, but on the inside he was seething. He turned to go but was stopped by Sarutobi's quiet voice.

"I know you Danzo. Don't do anything you'll regret."

The man turned and sent an uncaring eye to Sarutobi.

"I've never regretted anything. Everything I've done has always been for Konoha, every battle fought, every war waged, every limb lost. Every decision I made was for Konoha."

Sarutobi narrowed his eyes.

"And so have every one of my decisions been for Konoha. Every treaty signed, every battle fought, every life lost under my order. It was all for Konoha. Don't let your ambitions be the death of you."

Danzo snorted and shut the door loudly behind him. Once he was gone Naruto shuddered and glanced to his grandfather.

"I don't like that man."

"Neither do I."

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That night, Naruto was outside with Sarutobi, while ten clones were inside with Yahiko, reading ten different things at once. Theory of seals, theory of jutsus, a strategy book on shougi, a book on the history of Konoha, one on Suna, one on Kumo, one on Kiri, a biology book, a history of Kalaripayit, and a book on the bijuu. Naruto was surprised they were letting him read it, but was told that since he knew about his condition, he might as well bone up on the subject.

Sarutobi was taking him through Kalaripayit and found it to be quite an interesting fighting style. Once he was thoroughly sure that the style suited Naruto, he sat the boy down and let him know they were going to begin in earnest now in his training.

"Naruto, since you have figured out so much at such a young age, I feel obligated to tell you a little more of my plan for your future. I know you like hanging out with your friends and playing in your spare time, but that's going to be put on hold for a while."

The boy's face fell, but Sarutobi kept plowing on.

"It'll only be temporary Naruto. They'll be entering the academy soon and they'll be busy being inundated into their family's styles even further than before. I'll be showing you how to further do your duties and then, when you turn ten, I'm packing you off to the academy."

Naruto stared up at his grandfather with unbelieving eyes.

"But sensei, I already know everything they teach at the academy. I don't need to go there."

"While it's true that you know all the lessons there Naruto, you don't know anything about teamwork. That's one of the biggest lessons that I can't teach you alone. I don't want you thinking you can skip out just because you're my chosen successor. There are certain traditions you have to upkeep before you become Hokage."

"And those are?"

"You'll need to be on a team. It's a traditon of Konoha that we value teamwork above all else. You must graduate from the academy. Not even a future Hokage can simply bypass everything. You must rise through the ranks like a normal ninja. Then, either before you become Hokage, or in my case, while you're Hokage, you must take a team. These are Konoha traditions."

"Do I really have to go through the academy?"

Sarutobi glared at his pupil, nailing him to the spot.

"Yes, you do. No arguments. Any more questions?"

"Um…how are the teams selected?"

"Worried about being on Sasuke's team?"

The boy nodded.

"Don't worry. There's a long-standing tradition of putting the Rookie of the Year with the last place candidate of the class, along with the best kunoichi. The others are divided up as needed."

"Good. There's no chance I'll end up with Uchiha Sasuke then…unless he's a complete moron at schoolwork."

Sarutobi nodded and chuckled to himself.

"I still don't like the idea of having to go to school. The lectures will probably be boring."

"Then take a book to read or something. All that's required is that you pass the tests anyway. Now, I'm going to show you a few jutsu and you're going to make clones and practice them, alright?"

Naruto nodded vigorously. He loved to learn jutsus.

"I'll be showing you some I picked up early on in my life. I've learned a lot Naruto, and I've imparted my knowledge to very few. Have the clones memorize the hand seals and then break up to practice different ones."

Naruto nodded and formed a group of twenty clones and told them to watch what Sarutobi did.

The first jutsu was Futon: Daitoppa. Naruto watched as Sarutobi made the necessary seals and proceeded to decimate a few trees. The boy was giddy with anticipation and sent five clones off to practice.

The second one froze Naruto with fear, literally. Sarutobi used Kanashibari on him and then had the clones leave and practice it on each other. There were no hand seals needed; it was simply focusing one's killing intent directly at a target. It just took practice.

The third left Naruto without vision. Kirigakure no Jutsu, the Hiding Mist, intrigued the boy. Combined with his Melt, it would be a deadly combo. He sent the clones off immediately.

The final jutsu required them to go to another section of the property altogether. Naruto and his clones followed along obediently behind Sarutobi until they came to a stop beside a creek. Sarutobi turned around and smiled.

"Naruto, come stand beside me."

The real Naruto stepped forward and stood beside the old Hokage and the clones watched as the old man formed one seal and Naruto was encased inside of a giant water bubble.

"What the…"

"This is Suiro no Jutsu. It's great for capturing an opponent. Only downsides are that you have to be next to a substantial body of water and you have to keep your arm inside the bubble for the attack to stick. That brings me to our earlier talk of teamwork."

Naruto sat with rapt attention (not like he was going anywhere anyway).

"If this was used to capture the enemy and you had teammates, they could incapacitate the enemy ninja with little resistance. This makes it the perfect jutsu in conjunction with your team."

Naruto nodded in understanding and Sarutobi released the jutsu.

"Now, practice hard and remember to come in for dinner. Don't make your mother worry."

Naruto nodded and formed a few more clones to practice the jutsu on.

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Three hours later found Naruto lying on the ground holding his head in pain. He'd read about information overload but had thought he could handle it. Not doing that again, that was for damn sure. He held his pounding cranium and made his way back to the house as he sifted through his thoughts.

Luckily, his clones inside had dispersed earlier and let him know it was time for supper. He'd had a slight tweak of the brain but ignored it. Now he had to sift through all this information. Thank the gods he had the rest of the evening to go through it all.

As he walked inside the house Naruto groaned and leaned against the wall. That overload shouldn't have taken that much out of him. Knowing that if he ate as he was right now he'd be sick, he sat down to meditate and sort through the information.

The information on the history of the countries was just what he thought it would be…boring. Nothing but boring drivel about how great the countries were and how they were formed. It was valuable information but it was…boring.

The information on the theory of seals was much more intriguing to him. It opened up a world of possibilities. He rubbed the seal on his stomach. There was no way in hell he would mess with that seal. No. Way. In. Hell.

The book on shougi was kind of boring but with some of the strategies in there, he might be able to back Shikamaru into a corner he'd never get out of.

Biology was kind of unassuming…until he got to the part about reproduction. His father had said he would get 'the talk' soon enough…whatever that meant.

The book on the bijuu was the most interesting. The demons didn't appear much throughout history except in history altering events or showed up sealed in different people or items. The Kyuubi was the only one that had never been sealed before and if he understood what Sarutobi had told him, he would be the last. The beast would die with him.

For such a powerful being, the Kyuubi was somewhat foolhardy. It had attacked Konoha unprovoked and had been beaten by a man and small child. The man had died, but the child lived…and kept the beast at bay.

He shook his head, feeling somewhat less stuffy and began to sort out the rest. Futon: Daitoppa was somewhat…natural to him, he supposed. He wasn't a master by any stretch of the imagination, but he had at least gotten it to work once. Kanashibari hadn't worked right at all. He'd figure that one out later.

Kirigakure no Jutsu required good chakra control and he'd have to keep at it to make it work right. And Suiro no Jutsu…well, it was hard to maintain. He needed to concentrate more and his thoughts kept drifting to other subjects.

His headache finally subsided and he meandered into the kitchen to find everyone already gone. Naruto groaned and fished the bread out of the cupboard and some meat and cheese from the fridge and made himself a sandwich. Sarutobi, not being able to sleep just yet, heard the boy rummaging around and walked in.

"Were you able to get any of them down?"

"Kind of. Futon: Daitoppa was somewhat easy for me but the others were kind of hard. Kanashibari was the hardest. I just couldn't get the clones to be afraid."

Sarutobi nodded and put his hand to his chin.

"That may be because you can't picture yourself killing yourself. Kanashibari works by instilling fear into the opponent, showing them their own death. Unless you're suicidal, it doesn't work very well."

"I guess I'll have to find someone to help me perfect it then. I'll just have to do it to people who are unwitting."

"That's not very noble Naruto."

The boy shrugged.

"We're ninja Jiji. I believe you told me that ninjas have very loose honor."

"In certain cases yes. But you shouldn't use that jutsu against unsuspecting people Naruto. Especially fellow Leaf nins."

"Even ones like Sasuke or those who talk bad about me."

Sarutobi grinned and fetched himself a glass of tea.

"There are exceptions of course. If any civilians give you trouble, feel free to use a nonthreatening jutsu like that. Just don't use it against any senior ninjas. They'll know what you're doing and will turn it back on you."

Naruto nodded and took the last bite of his sandwich, washing it down with some milk.

"Suiro no Jutsu and Kirigakure no Jutsu just require more control. Once I have the level down to where they're easy to control, I'll try pumping more chakra into them and see what happens."

"That's a good plan. Now, you'd better get to bed. You have a busy day ahead of you tomorrow."

Naruto nodded and left for his room. Once he reached the door, he grinned and turned around to Sarutobi.

"I don't know what I'm thinking. I was about to use the door."

The old Hokage watched as Naruto melted into the floor and disappeared from sight. He sighed and cracked his back as he stood.

'That boy will be the death of me yet.'

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The next few months of Naruto's life went by quickly. His friends all entered the academy at the age of nine and Naruto kept up his duties at the tower. His knife had been commissioned finally and Sarutobi made him keep it at home until he had learned how to wield it properly. Naruto wasn't happy about that, but held his tongue.

Bad things usually happened when he went against his grandfather on issues like that.

His training kept up with Kage Bunshin and he had read through several books, absorbing the information like a sponge. His jutsus had become better to the point where he was now a master of Futon: Daitoppa, although he rarely got to use the jutsu. Sarutobi wouldn't teach him any more jutsus until he mastered at least three of the four he'd been taught.

So his repertoire now included Kawarimi, Henge, a bad ass Shunshin, Futon: Daitoppa, Kalaripayit, and he'd begun to learn how to handle his blade properly. It was just like Sarutobi had told him. A knife that big was totally different from a sword. He needed to be careful with it.

He was still coming along nicely.

His abilities with the Melt were absolutely brilliant. Now, whenever someone came into the office that Naruto didn't want to see or, if Sarutobi wanted him there while he spoke to a dignitary so he could see how to handle them but didn't want him to cause a scene, he'd melt into his desk and stay hidden.

The black and white view still freaked him out at times, but he was getting used to it. Training with Gai had given him a whole new perspective of speed and power. He could move at a pretty good clip while using the Melt now and switching substances was now an obstacle hardly worth mentioning. His taijutsu had skyrocketed in the meantime, but he'd found that anyone working with Gai was bound to pick up a thing or two. He might be insane, but the man was a hell of a teacher.

Naruto's only thing that he wanted to get better on but didn't really have anyone to help him with were seals. He'd continued making storage scrolls and had refined them to where a scroll could carry as much as possible by modifying the seals slightly. He always had his entire library (very considerable for one his age) on tap in one scroll. It completely baffled Sarutobi and he asked Naruto to make him one as well.

He'd sworn to himself to find Jiraiya so that he could teach the boy about seals. Konoha needed another seal master…

Naruto had also been allowed to begin making small explosive tags, although, the first few didn't come out quite right. The timing seal had been too short and had literally blown up in his face. Sarutobi had not allowed him to try again without more studying.

All in all, Naruto's training went without a hitch. Sasuke still had it out for him and there was talk that the Uchiha was a shoe-in for Rookie of the Year when he graduated. Naruto couldn't have cared less.

He didn't want to go to school anyway.

His ninth birthday came and went and his friends stayed in touch somewhat over the school year. Hinata missed him badly and made great strides to visit whenever she could. Her mother passed away from whatever illness she had, leaving Hiashi stricken with grief. He trained Hinata and himself relentlessly, if only to forget the grief for a short while. Naruto usually hung his head in shame when the girl's hangdog look came onto her face when it was time to leave. He needed to visit her more often and bring some sunshine into her life.

She was so lonely…and they both missed their best friend.

Naruto hadn't informed any of his friends he'd be attending the academy. He wanted it to be a surprise. And it _would_ be a surprise.

When his tenth birthday rolled around, it was a blast. No one knew that when the semester started back up, he'd be attending and had requested to be put in their class. Misery loves company after all. All of Naruto's birthdays had been typical. Party, gifts, and playing with his friends.

But his tenth birthday was also when Naruto's whole world changed once again. No one had ever dared do anything against him or his family before…

But one drunk, bitter ninja would change all that…

And make Naruto face a great truth within himself…

**So, let me know what you think. **


	9. The Voice In My Head

And here's Chapter 9. Hope you guys enjoy this one. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...**Right Where I Need to Be**_ by Gary Allen._

**CHAPTER NINE**

Naruto lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, clutching his old, worn stuffed fox in one hand. His mother told him he was getting too big for it, but he found the thing comforting. Especially when he had a lot to think about. And right now, his mind was going a mile a minute.

His party had been typical. He'd played a game with Shikamaru and had nearly had him, when the boy pulled that stupid pose out and proceeded to blow him away. He'd never been so frustrated in his life. He'd had it planned out in just four more moves and he'd have him. He was still trying to figure out how his lazy friend had pulled it off…

He was beginning to suspect that Shikamaru was moving pieces when Naruto blinked…

Chouji had given him a booklet of free meals, one for each restaurant in Konoha. Naruto thanked his portly friend profusely. He'd been wanting to try that new dango shop in the southern sector…

Shino's gifts were usually as strange as the boy himself…not that they weren't useful. This year he'd given Naruto a watch with a compass in it. It was nice, but Naruto stared at him quizzically. Shino's answer had set the rest laughing and left Naruto slightly ashamed.

"_Perhaps now you'll find the _time_ to visit your friends Naruto."_

Sarutobi had looked just as ashamed as the blonde. Perhaps he did need to let the boy get out a little bit more…

Gai had promised him that they would begin to incorporate weapons into their training. Naruto had told his sensei not to mention his knife specifically. He wanted that to be a surprise.

Kiba had given him a black collar with spikes, raising many eyebrows. Naruto, not wanting to be rude, had put it on. It looked strange on the blonde and many of the adults snickered. When asked why he was given a collar, Kiba had grinned and leaned in to whisper in Naruto's ear.

_"Because…it goes great with Hinata's gift later this year."_

When asked what that was, his grin threatened to split his face in twain.

_"I got her a leash so she could lead you around. You know, since whenever you're around her, you act like her bitch."_

The adults didn't know why Naruto turned blood red and swung a fist at a laughing Kiba, but it was still hilarious nonetheless. He and Kiba could be so entertaining.

Once things were settled back down, Hinata gave Naruto her gift, which he accepted with grace (and a blood red face). He opened it and was delighted by what he saw. It was a pair of black leather gloves, fingerless, with the leaf symbol on plates on the back. They'd work wonders with his taijutsu and weapons training.

Hinata had just been concerned he would hurt himself. She didn't know how fast he healed…

The rest of the party was normal. Konohamaru gave him hug and his parents told him they'd give him his gift later. Sarutobi had told him he could learn a new jutsu later and everything was right with the world. He couldn't wait.

His training with his field knife was coming along nicely. He'd become quite proficient at slitting the throat of his Kage Bunshins by coming up behind them when they got to close to the house or a tree. He'd found that if he was extra careful, he could sever the spine at the base of the neck and get rid of them easily.

He was fast on his way to beginning his training as an assassin.

The biggest surprise of the party, however, had been the homecoming of his uncle Asuma. The bear of a man had walked into the party unannounced and strode right up to Sarutobi.

_"I'm home, pop."_

"_So I see. Do you want to be reinstated as a shinobi of the Leaf?"_

_Asuma took a drag on his cigarrete and raised an eyebrow._

"_You took me off the books?"_

"_You left Asuma, under your own power and with my begrudging blessing, to join the Guardians. I had to take you off the active duty roster."_

_The younger bearded man nodded and ground his cigarrete out on the ground._

"_Will I still have my ranking?"_

_Sarutobi nodded and stood._

"_Yes, you'll be reinstated as a Chuunin and can take the Jounin exam at a later date. But for now, you've come home at a time of rememberance and joy."_

"_Really?"_

"_Yes. You should go say hello and 'Happy Birthday' to your nephew."_

_Asuma turned to look at the blonde and his eyes widened when he saw the whisker marks._

"_Is that…"_

"_Yes, it is. And he knows of the burden he carries."_

_Asuma watched with wide eyes as the blonde approached him and looked up at him with curious eyes._

"…_you know, I didn't think you'd be so big Uncle Asuma."_

_Any tension was gone immediately._

_"Well, I didn't think you'd be so short…"_

…_now there was tension…_

Asuma had proven to be a pretty laid back guy and Naruto could tell he and his uncle would get along just fine. Asuma was also quite powerful and intelligent, though not as much as Yahiko. Asuma had taken the way of the warrior, Yahiko the way of the scholar. Both could hold their own in a fight, but Asuma was the more powerful of the two…and also the laziest.

His uncle had decided to get an apartment of his own, rather than living in the compound since he and Sarutobi still differed on some things and avoiding a fight was paramount to the family.

Naruto's eyes were finally growing heavy and he was just about to drift off to sleep when an ear-splitting scream from his mother made him bolt upright. Not knowing what was going on, he grabbed his knife and melted into the wall.

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Tousenka Sora had been on the road to a leisurely life as a shinobi ten years earlier. He was a Chuunin, soon to be Jounin, and life was great. He was engaged to a beautiful woman and their wedding date had been set for later the next year.

Then the Kyuubi came and that all changed.

Sora had watched as his fiancée was crushed under the thing's foot and all his hopes and dreams came crashing down. He had rushed at the beast in a rage, wanting to get just one good hit in before he died. But destiny had other things in store for him apparently. The Kyuubi had merely looked at the man when he drove a sword into its leg and had swiped hard, knocking him several hundred feet away. The fall had broken both his legs and he'd never walked right since.

Once the thing was defeated, he had been a loud supporter of killing the child containing the beast. When his Hokage had said it would not be killed, he was devastated.

His fiancée had lost her life for nothing.

Sora fell into a depression after that. He lost himself to alcohol and had lost everything. His family tried to get him to move on, told him that his fiancée would not want him to be like this, but Sora clung to the past. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see that damnable fox, howling in victory as it crushed everything in sight. It was despicable.

He couldn't take it anymore. A decade of lonliness and regret were slowly killing him. He was too much of a coward to follow his love into the afterlife. He couldn't kill himself. He wanted someone else to end it.

But he wasn't a shinobi anymore and he couldn't take suicide missions. Therefore, as he drowned his sorrows in the bottom of a bottle, he came to a conclusion.

He'd go and challenge the beast to a fight and hopefully, they'd kill each other and he'd be remembered as a hero.

He could meet his love in heaven with his head held high. His family would be proud of him again. His comrades would see him as a ninja again.

And all he had to do was face the fox with courage and dignity. But…the fox was crafty. He took another swig of the drink and slammed the bottle down. He'd need to bait it to get it to come fight him. It had proven to be quite sneaky in the past few years, saying it wasn't what it was, a demon.

He'd show it how much of a demon it was…

Sora told the bartender to put it on his tab and wobbled out. He wouldn't be back to pay the bill anyway after tonight. He needed his weapons and all of his cunning. Being drunk would help. It would limit his inhibitions. Seeing the innocent face that the fox had adopted in recent years would only deter him if he was sober.

And hesitation would get him killed before he could take his revenge.

He gathered up his weapons and headed shakily for the Sarutobi compound. He would need all his cunning. Since forces were still spread thin, there were no ANBU around the compound. After all, the Hokage could take care of himself.

Sora climbed over the fence with great difficulty, his weakened legs not helped by the fact that he hadn't worked out in years. But being weakened also made him careful of where and how he stepped. He made his way to a window and slid it open.

Eri was sleeping peacefully until she heard the window slide open. She didn't have time to do anything when she felt a hand clamp over her mouth and she was dragged out of bed and down the hall, kicking and punching. Sora snarled when she hit his shin and hit a pressure point on her neck that left her wide-awake still able to see what was going on.

Sarutobi heard her muffled screams and made his way toward them slowly. He peeked around the corner of the doorway to the living room and grit his teeth when he saw Eri being held by an unfamiliar ninja. This was bad…

He stepped from around the corner and drew to his full height, leveling the man with a glare. Sora drew up and pressed his kunai into Eri's throat with a little more force.

"What do you want with my family? Who are you?"

Sora snarled and drew a little blood from Eri's throat, the droplets rolling down the blade. Sarutobi watched with silent fury and tried to reassure the woman with his eyes. It didn't help when the rest of the household showed up and Konohamaru pushed his way to the front.

"MOMMA!"

Eri shook her head slightly, tears rolling down her face, trying to tell Konohamaru to stay away. Aoi grabbed the boy around the shoulders and held him close, even as he struggled. Sora sneered at the family and drew himself up closer to the wall, trying to make it so he had no blind spots.

"I don't care about the Sarutobis, I want the demon! Bring him here and let me fight him or I'll slit her throat!"

"There is no longer a demon. It's gone…"

"Lies! That thing lives on still, in the guise of our Yondaime! And you let it live! How dare you disrespect his memory!"

"Young man, I suggest you let me daughter go. You're drunk and obviously distraught. Let her go and I'll let you off lightly."

"Never! You bring me the demon and let me take him in battle. I have to avenge my love. He…he killed her."

Eri began to cry harder as she listened to her Father-in-law and the man battle back and forth with words. He wanted Naruto, he wanted her baby! Naruto never killed anyone. How could they continue to think such things? This was the first time that anyone had tried to do anything physically though…and she was now sure it wouldn't be the last.

Sora dragged the blade lightly across her throat, letting blood begin to trickle down. Eri closed her eyes and thought about how she'd never hold Yahiko again. Or hug her two sons. Or scold them or get to see them grow or mess with their future girlfriends. Her eyes shot open when she heard a bestial growl from above and felt blood that wasn't hers spray the back of her head.

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Naruto moved throught the walls with great speed, looking frantically for the cause of the scream. He finally saw his family assembled in the den and watched, hidden from view, as Sarutobi tried to reason with the deranged man. As he watched the first drop of blood trickle from his mother's throat, he grit his teeth.

…_**your mother is in danger…**_

Naruto shook his head, thinking he had imagined that voice in the back of his head. He didn't need any distractions now.

He watched as more blood flowed from his mother's neck and his teeth punctured his lip.

…_**he'll kill her if you don't do something. Don't let her die in vain…**_

This was all over him. Why in the hell couldn't they just leave him and his family alone? And the voice was becoming clearer and louder. If this was his consciense why in the hell was it acting up now? His eyes sprang open wide when the man dragged the blade across her throat and the blood flowed freely now. If he had applied any pressure…

…_**what are you waiting for? Only you can save her…**_

Naruto slid the knife from its scabbard and moved through the wall to directly behind and above the man. He couldn't allow his mother to be killed. What would happen to Konohamaru? What would his family think if she was killed because of him?

What would his mother think if she died for him?

…_**DON'T LET HER DIE…**_

Without another thought, he melted out of the wall and let out a spine-chilling growl as he placed the blade at the man's throat while grabbing his arm that contained the kunai. Sora looked up when he felt the cold steel against his neck and the uncommonly strong grip around his wrist.

The last thing the man saw was the blue-slitted eyes and long fangs of the blonde, half hanging out of the wall, his mouth contorted into a sneer of righteous fury.

Naruto pulled the blade to the side just like he'd practiced against his clones as he jerked the blade away from his mother's neck.

Crimson flowed….

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Sarutobi looked in shock at the visage on Naruto's face. He looked resigned to what he'd done, as if there had been no other way.

And there hadn't been. Sora, in his deranged state of mind, would have killed Eri if Naruto hadn't shown up. But now, the ability he had was known to the whole family and servants…this could prove troublesome.

Yahiko was out on a mission and wouldn't be back until tomorrow or the day after. Eri needed consoling and had grabbed hold of Konohamaru and hadn't let go of him.

The servants, knowing not to say a word, took the man's body away and began to clean up the room. Sarutobi crossed to Naruto, standing stock still in the middle of the room, his head down, hair shadowing his eyes, his hand gripping his field knife so hard his knuckles had turned white. Sarutobi knelt down in front of the boy and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Naruto?"

The boy flinched when he heard his name called and slowly raised his eyes to show the tears.

"I…I killed him Jiji…"

Sarutobi pulled the boy into a hug.

"I know Naruto, I know. But don't blame yourself. If you wouldn't have done it, he might have killed your mother. This is what being a shinobi is about. Weighting the death of your loved ones against the death of an enemy."

"But he was a Leaf ninja, Jiji. I killed a comrade."

"A comrade doesn't attack unarmed civilians of the village he lives in and hold them hostage. You did the right thing Naruto."

The boy nodded and wiped the blood from his knife absently on his pajama bottoms before sliding it back into its scabbard. Sarutobi watched as the matte black blade disappeared from view. He blinked slowly and clapped his hands on Naruto's shoulders, forcing the boy to look at him.

"Let's go into the study Naruto. I need to talk to you about this. I don't want you feeling guilty and retreating inward. But first…let's get you changed out of those clothes."

Naruto nodded weakly and went off to his bedroom to change. Once done, he plodded to the study, his bloodline forgotten for the moment.

…_**you did the right thing…**_

Naruto frowned when he heard the voice again. He had a sneaking suspicion who and what it was, but decided he'd ask his grandfather. As he opened the door, he found his grandfather sitting with his legs crossed in his favorite plushy chair, another one just like it drawn up opposite and two glasses of hot tea sitting on a side table. Sarutobi motioned to the chair and the tea.

"Sit and drink."

Naruto nodded and took a sip of the tea. It calmed him somewhat when he felt the familiar warmth of the liquid slide down his throat. He needed something calming at the moment.

"Naruto, tell me how you feel right now."

The boy looked up slowly and sat the glass of tea back down.

"Jiji, I feel…vindicated. I feel like what I did was right. And that's what worries me. Should I feel like taking a life is right?"

"In this case, yes. You saved your mother and there is nothing wrong with that. As long as you don't feel pleasure from every kill, you will still retain your humanity."

Sarutobi watched the boy wince and asked what was wrong. Naruto's voice came across in a whisper.

"I think it's speaking to me…"

Sarutobi's eyes widened but he needed confirmation.

"What is Naruto? What's speaking to you?"

"…the Kyuubi…"

'Oh gods, no.'

"What did it tell you?"

"To…to save mom. That no one else could but me. And afterward, before the voice faded, it told me that I did the right thing."

Sarutobi sat back in his chair and took an extra long drag on his pipe. This…could prove either advantageous or extremely bad.

"Did you speak to it?"

"No. I said nothing. I didn't acknowledge it…although I think it knows I heard it."

Sarutobi nodded and looked Naruto over. Tomorrow, he was taking the day off to take the boy shopping. If he was going to the academy, it was time to start letting him choose his own clothing. Of course, when he was in the office, he still had to wear the robes and hat…it just looked so natural on him.

He noticed as well that the knife was now strapped to Naruto's side with a belt and it didn't look like it would be leaving anytime soon.

"Naruto…I'll allow you to wear that knife. After tonight, I think it would be a good idea. You'll be starting at the academy in a week and we'll get your gifts tomorrow. I don't want you to tell anyone what happened here tonight. I don't want you flaunting your skills at the academy. A ninja's best friend is deception. You don't have to hide your skills, but don't boast and don't flaunt them."

Naruto nodded and fingered the knife. It made him feel safe.

"Your duties at the tower are going to be reduced and I'll talk with your uncle about taking you on to learn about knives and how to wield them properly. He's quite the dab hand with them. You'll learn a lot from him."

"What about Gai-sensei?"

"He'll still help you, but he'll be taking on a team after this semester, so he won't be available to you all the time. Asuma will have his duties as well, so you might be on your own most of the time."

Naruto nodded. At least he'd be able to see his friends more.

"You'll still be helping me at the tower, so don't get too comfortable."

The boy groaned playfully and Sarutobi smiled. Perhaps…things would be alright after all. He would need to make it clear about the Kyuubi though.

"Before I pack you off to bed Naruto, I want you to go and talk to your mother and brother. They were very frightened. And if the Kyuubi talks to you again, I want you to tell me immediately. Understand?"

"Yes, Jiji."

"Good. Now go find your mother, I'm sure she's worried sick about you."

Naruto nodded again and shut the door behind him. Sarutobi followed him soon after.

'I'm getting too old for this…'

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Naruto swung the door to his mother's room open and was immediately tackled by two sobbing figures.

"My baby, my poor, poor baby. Why did you have to do that?"

"But mom, he was going to kill you."

"But you shouldn't have had to kill so young…"

Naruto sighed and waited for his mother to stop her sobbing. He patted Konohamaru on the head, the little boy clinging to his side, sobbing into his shirt. He was sure Konohamaru had been scared witless when he had emerged from the wall and even moreso when he had slit the throat of that ninja. His thoughts were broken when he heard the two begin to calm down and stared at his mother.

"Are you alright?"

"I think that's something I should be asking you mom."

"I'm fine Naruto. My throat's a little sore, but I'll live. How are you? Are you alright?"

"Yeah. Jiji sat me down and talked to me about what I did and told me how I wasn't to blame. I'm fine mom."

Eri nodded and held him tighter, as if she was trying to smother him. Naruto felt a tug on his sleeve and looked down at Konohamaru.

"Aniki…what was that you did when you killed that guy?"

Naruto had to be careful here. He couldn't tell Konohamaru what he'd done, it would be all over the village by tomorrow. The boy was proud of his brother and would tell anyone who would listen.

"I did something that only I can do ototo. Listen to me, you can't tell anyone about what I did ok? I'll get in trouble if you do."

Konohamaru nodded his head and yawned. He was way up past his bedtime. Eri shuffled the two boys to her bed.

"Come on, we're all sleeping here tonight."

"But mom, I'm too old…"

She sent him a hard look.

"You're still my baby Naruto and I say get in. Besides…I want to be sure that nothing else will happen tonight. For my mind's sake, please?"

Naruto nodded and got in, placing his knife under his pillow. Konohamaru snuggled up to his mother and Eri put an arm around Naruto. They all drifted into a peaceful sleep, forgetting momentarily about the night's troubles.

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The next morning found the Sarutobi household carrying on like nothing had happened. All except for four members. Sarutobi, Eri, Konohamaru, and Naruto had all sat down over breakfast and gone over everything again to make sure everyone knew that what Naruto did had been for the good of his mother. He had saved her. Naruto's still held a reserved right of vindication, but he was also a little sad for the ninja that he had killed. The man hadn't been in his right mind.

It didn't excuse trying to kill his mother though…

Sarutobi, once all the proceedings were over, told them to get dressed and ready to leave for town. When Naruto asked why, he was given a smile.

"For your present of course. You're going to school right?"

Naruto nodded, not seeing where his grandfather was going with this.

"Well, you're old enough to pick out your own clothing now. We'll be buying you a wardrobe for your ninja career."

Naruto leapt to his feet and let out a cry of victory. Finally, no more robes or uncomfortable clothes his mother bought for him.

"You still have to wear the robes at the office."

It only dampened his mood slightly.

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Asuma had met them on their way out the door and had offered to come along, if only to offer advice and make sure Eri didn't doll the boy up. Sarutobi told him quietly what had transpired the night before, making Asuma whistle. He hadn't been that young when he made his first kill. He looked at his newly found nephew with appraising eyes.

The boy didn't look like he could kill a fly and yet, he had unflinchingly killed an enemy when his family was threatened. That was a good thing. He agreed to teach the boy how to handle his knife as well.

They entered the clothing shop and Naruto almost went ballistic. Finally, he could dress like a true shinobi. Sarutobi just hoped the boy wouldn't shatter his wallet too bad…they still had to eat lunch after all. And he just knew they'd end up at Ichiraku's.

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A couple of hours later found Naruto emerging from the shop with a wide smile on his face. His new clothing was secure in a storage scroll he had brought along and he had impressed Asuma with his skill with it. He didn't want to wear any of the clothing until he attended class so he could thoroughly surprise his friends.

The next day saw his knife combat training with Asuma begin. Contrary to his uncle's lazy front, he was a taskmaster when it came to training in things he was interested in. And once he found out that Naruto played shougi, he demanded a match a day. It was a tiresome habit to fall into.

His duties at the tower went on in the evening and he awaited the first day of the academy. In a scrollhe had his books ready, a gameboard for shougi so he could play Shikamaru at lunch, and his clothes for the first day laid out.

The day finally came and Naruto walked to the school slowly, hardly believing that he was going. He knew it was going to be boring, but he was still excited. This was a forum where the children couldn't run away from him and even if they ignored him, his friends would be there. That thought gave him a small boost.

Naruto walked through the doorway of the academy's entrance and touched the frame reverently. This was it, the big moment.

He walked down the hall and asked one of the Chuunin teachers where Iruka's classroom was. He was pointed in the direction and walked calmly, his feet knocking against the hardwood floor. He took a deep breath when he reached the door and turned the knob slowly.

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Iruka stood in front of his class, calling the roll as usual, slightly bored as usual, and wishing they would shut the hell up…as usual. As he read further and further down the list, his voice droned more and more until he came to a name familiar to all of Konoha.

…Uzumaki Naruto…

He looked up scanning the classroom and saw that the boy wasn't there. When he saw the boy wasn't there, he let out a sigh of relief. He held no animosity against the boy himself, but knew that some of his student's parents did and Mizuki did. He didn't need the drama. Either it was a mistake that his name had ended up on the register or he was late.

Iruka wasn't lucky like that though.

He heard the door swing open, and heard someone begin to speak.

"Excuse me, is this Iruka-sensei's classroom?"

He and most of the class gasped when they saw who it was. Hinata clapped her hands happily, Shino smiled behind his collar, Chouji grinned and elbowed his sleeping friend, who smirked and muttered 'troublesome blonde' before going back to sleep, and Kiba let out a whoop of happiness.

Sasuke let out a grunt of disapproval and went back to staring out the window.

Sakura and Ino eyed him up and down, scrutinizing him.

He was quite a sight.

Letting him choose his own clothing had been a blessing to Naruto. No more shorts and t-shirts.

He stood before them in black cargo pants and black combat boots, his field knife strapped to his right leg. His torso was enclosed ina longsleeved, camoflaged mesh undershirtand a black t-shirt with a red fox covered it. Shino was happy that he wore the watch he had given him, Hinata was ecstatic he was wearing the pendant she had given him and the plated gloves as well, and Kiba looked disgruntled that he wasn't wearing the collar.

Not like he would have worn it anyway. Hinata had developed a nasty little joking streak and she might have brought the leash Kiba had given her. Naruto never thought the two would go in together to humiliate him.

He turned to the teacher and smiled.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto."

Iruka sighed and rubbed his temples. This year would be total hell. He could already hear the kids whispering.

"Thank you Naruto. Take a seat anywhere and we'll begin."

Naruto nodded and plodded up the steps to sit beside Hinata and Kiba. Hinata smiled shyly and gave him a hug, which he returned. Kiba leaned over to whisper in his ear.

"Glad you came man. Welcome to the ninth circle of Hell, otherwise known as the academy. I'm Kiba and I'll be your guide."

Naruto chortled and pulled out a book on sealing as Iruka geared up for a lecture. At least he wouldn't be too bored sitting beside Kiba.

"Now, the first thing we'll learn is about the history of Konoha."

Iruka turned to where he heard the sound of a head impacting wood and found Naruto with his head down on his desk, an amused Hinata and Kiba on either side.

Naruto groaned and picked his book back up, drowning out Iruka's voice.

Scratch boring, this could prove to be unbearable…

**Let me know what you think. Naruto's in school and the madness begins...**


	10. School Days

And here's Chapter 10. The real Chapter 10. Hope you guys enjoy. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...**Lookin' Out My Backdoor**_ by Creedence Clearwater Revival._

This is a small note to Mister SasukeRulesTheWorld, an anonymous reviewer who expressed a concern that I deleted the anonymous reviews because they didn't agree with me. You're right. I did. I deleted the ones that had nothing to do with the story. I deleted the ones that were about the poll and all the crap that went along with it. I don't mind constructive criticism. I do mind stupid, pointless things said about my story. Telling me that I'm doing this and that wrong when I see no story from you doesn't sit well with me. Your reviews will continue to be deleted if you have nothing constructive to say. End of story...oh, and by the way, I'm 23. It's in my profile. And I believe I am very brave. I put up stories and allow people to review them. I read every review and true, I don't like them all. But I at least put something out there and take a chance that it will suck. I leave the anonymous reviews open because there are some reviewers who actually have something to say, instead of trying to act big when you're not even a blot on the map. Here, I'll even share your review before I delete it.

_I noticed you've removed every negative review you or the story has recieved. How brave you are, I commend you. God are you such a review hore that unless it's a happy, happy, review you can't take the criticism. You're pretty weak, what are you 12 years old?_

See? There's your fifteen minutes of fame. Also, you need to learn how to spell. The word is _whore_.

**CHAPTER TEN**

Naruto was realizing that Kiba wasn't lying when he said it would be hell. They'd only been in class an hour and he was becoming…bored. And a bored Naruto, as Sarutobi knew, was a dangerous Naruto. Luckily, he still had studying to do that was given by his father. He unrolled a scroll and unsealed a book under the table, rolled the scroll back up, and sat the book on the table.

Kiba eyed him suspiciously and elbowed the blonde in the side.

"Hey man, what are you reading?"

"Sealing theory. I'm still learning how to make exploding tags."

"Uzumaki-san! Inuzuka-san! Pay attention!"

The two boys turned back to face the class and found Mizuki glaring at them. Kiba shifted in his seat and nodded. Naruto narrowed his eyes but complied and sat his book down for the moment. He'd simply wait until the teacher turned back around and go back to reading his book. Iruka watched from the side as Mizuki gave his lecture. The idea behind having two senseis was that the switching out of voices would keep the genin hopefuls awake.

He watched as Mizuki continued to speak on the subject at hand and scanned around the room. His attention, however, kept coming back to Naruto.

Iruka was resentful of the fox for killing his parents. But he was indifferent at best to the boy that housed the beast. He had no desire to get close to the boy…so why did his attention keep coming back to him?

As he began his part of the lecture, he continued to notice that the blonde did little things that normal academy students didn't do. He was reading a book on seal theory, a high level book for someone his age. Iruka had come across the boy in the Hokage's office several times and had found that he was pleasant and intelligent. That didn't mean he wanted anything to do with the boy however.

Mizuki, on the other hand, had openly expressed his hatred of the boy. Iruka had told him that any open aggression against the lad would bring down the wrath of the Hokage upon him, but Mizuki saw Naruto being in their class as a way of killing the fox 'accidentally'. He'd have to keep his eye on Mizuki.

He looked up again toward Naruto and found the boy wasn't even paying attention, his nose deep in his book. That little habit would have to go immediately. He decided to make an example of the boy.

"Naruto! Tell me, what was the Shodai Hokage's special ability?"

Naruto never took his nose out of his book and flipped a page.

"Mokuton."

The entire class turned to look at him. Everyone knew he hadn't been paying attention…or at least it appeared he hadn't been. Hinata sighed and rested her chin in her hands. Asking Naruto history questions was dumb. His father had already made him learn it all. Iruka didn't know that though.

"All right. What weapon style was the Sandaime a master at?"

"Bojutsu."

Iruka quirked an eyebrow and scowled. It seemed the boy was paying attention…unless he already knew the answers. And he still hadn't taken his nose out of that damned book. Mizuki coughed into his hand and Iruka turned to look at him.

"Let me ask something Iruka."

The pineapple haired man nodded and stepped back.

"Tell me Uzumaki, what are you reading?"

"A book."

Mizuki growled under his breath when he heard a few students snicker. He wasn't going to let the fox get the better of him.

"What is it about?"

"Seal theory."

"Why are you reading a book on seal theory?"

"Studies given to me by my father. I was told to read up while he is on a mission."

"And why are you reading it in class? You're supposed to listen to our lectures. All this will be on the test."

"I am listening. I'm listening and reading at the same time. I've learned to multitask over the years Mizuki-sensei. It comes with how I've been brought up."

Mizuki was about to step back and let that slide, but his pride wouldn't let it go. He grabbed an eraser from the blackboard and launched it at Naruto's head. Everyone watched with wide eyes as he caught the eraser and sat it down on his desk, glaring at the teacher.

"That was unnecessary. I am listening to your lecture. My eyes don't have to be on you for my ears to hear you."

Shino nearly snorted when he heard that. It always amused him how Naruto's more stoic side came out when he became annoyed. His speech improved and he wasn't against making someone feel foolish if they were bothering him. Plus, he sounded exactly like an Aburame.

Iruka decided to step in before Mizuki lost his temper and did something rash. He didn't want to have to explain to the Hokage why his grandson was assaulted by a teacher. Besides, the boy had a point. He didn't have to have eye contact to hear someone. That bum Kakashi could follow a conversation and read at the same time after all…

"Mizuki, that's enough. We've ascertained he's listening. Let's continue the lesson so we can go outside."

Mizuki's scowl deepened but he stepped back and stood beside the blackboard, letting Iruka finish the lesson.

'I'll get you, you little bastard. Just wait for the taijutsu spar where we find out your skill level. I'll get you.'

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"Come on Naruto, it's lunch time. Let's go outside."

The blonde looked up at Kiba and nodded as he stretched. He had completed several chapters of his book already during the lecture and going outside in the sunlight sounded really good. He already missed training with Gai-sensei…no matter how eccentric the man had been. He began to follow Kiba when he noticed someone wasn't with them.

"Hinata, aren't you coming?"

"Um, no. That's all right. You boys can go on. I'll eat by myself."

Naruto frowned down at her and leaned over the desk.

"Are you eating with anyone today Hinata?"

"Um…no."

He smiled and grabbed her hand, jerking her out of her desk.

"Good. Then you can eat with us. The cook made a ton of dango for me today and mom made some of her special tea. You can help me destroy lunch."

Hinata smiled as she was dragged along behind Naruto. He always knew how to make her feel better. Her father was becoming more and more strict as far as her training was regarded. She didn't like pressure, preferring to go at her own pace, but it was like her father kept everyone moving so he wouldn't have time to stop and think about her dearly departed mother.

Poor Hanabi was constantly training in the Jyuuken style while Hinata was at school. She felt somewhat sorry for her sister. The council of Hyuuga elders placed a lot on hers and Hanabi's shoulders. And Neji was colder than ever.

Hinata smiled as Naruto plopped down beside a tree and beckoned her to sit. At least with Naruto in the academy, she got to see her best friend every day…and the food his cooks made was better than the lunch she had packed. She was still learning to cook well.

"Hey Shika! How about a game of shougi?"

No one knew that the lazy boy could move that fast, but he was there immediately before the game board, almost impatiently. His tapping foot gave away his excitement as he agreed in his normal bored voice.

"Yeah, that sounds good."

Hinata sighed and sat back against the tree. Even being near Naruto was calming to her. It was like the boy exuded a natural relaxant. As the two boys began their game and Shino, Kiba, and Chouji watched and ate Naruto's portion of his lunch without him realizing, she smiled. It was good to be wanted.

Naruto studied his move and took a bishop with one of his knights. He looked up to Shikamaru's face. What was the boy planning? That move was too obvious. Naruto reached back to the pile of dango and groped aroud without looking. He heard Hinata squeak when he accidentally grabbed her thigh and turned to find all his precious dango gone. He glared at the three boys behind him and nearly throttled Shino when he saw the dango skewer held in his teeth, jutting up over his high collar.

"Um, you can have some of my lunch Naruto. I made it myself, so it's not very good…"

He nodded and turned back to the game board as she handed him a rice ball. He took a bite and smiled. It wasn't good…it was very good. He turned back to Hinata and gave her a big grin.

"This is delicious Hinata, much better than my dango. The guys don't know what they're missing…keep your hands out of that bag Chouji."

"Check."

"…crap."

Naruto whipped his head back around to the board and Hinata giggled at the look of concentration. Nothing could ruin this moment. Except the rapidly approaching Uchiha and his flock. Hinata groaned when she saw them coming and turned to the game board. Naruto and Shikamaru were studying the board, ignoring the proceedings while Kiba, Shino, and Chouji were on edge.

Sasuke strolled up to the group with his hands in his pockets, looking disinterested, but on the inside he was seething. Sealing theory? That was a high level technique that shouldn't be available to an academy student. He wanted to know what the blonde knew and he always got what he wanted.

"Let me see that book you're reading dobe."

Naruto ignored the Uchiha and moved a pawn into what he hoped would corner Shikamaru's only remaining knight. Shikamaru smirked as he observed Sasuke out of the corner of his eye. This would definitely be a troublesome year.

"I said let me see that book dobe."

Naruto didn't look back, but waved his hand in a dismissive gesture.

"Shhhh, you're ruining my concentration. Go away."

Sasuke was not used to being denied, as was evidenced by the gasp from the group of girls behind him. Ino and Sakura were the first to his defense as always.

"Listen you jerk, don't talk down to Sasuke-kun!"

"Naruto, just give him the book."

Sakura stared at her rival. They had started out as friends, but over time they had drifted apart slightly upon discovering both of them liked Sasuke. They still maintained a healthy rapport of barbs and jabs at each other. That's why Ino's dismissal of Sasuke's wants and needs in such a casual way was startling.

Ino just didn't think she could put up with anything today. She knew how Naruto was. He'd ignore the Uchiha completely until the end of time if he thought he'd go away eventually. She just didn't feel like dealing with any shenanigans today. She did something entirely un-Ino-like; she stood back and let whatever events happened take their course.

Sasuke grit his teeth and balled his hands into fists. He wanted to know what was in that book and he would not be denied.

"Listen Uzumaki, I want to know what was in that book. Let me see it."

Naruto held the book up and brought it back down just as swiftly.

"There, you saw it, now go away. Your move Shika."

The girls that had been following Sasuke watched with wide eyes as he approached Naruto from behind, his fist cocked back and ready to swing. He would not let a slight such as that go. As he got within striking distance, a cold voice stopped him.

"If you want to keep that hand, I'd suggest you go away like I told you to before."

Sasuke dropped his fist and turned around, his nose in the air, his hands in his pockets.

"Hmph. Probably a stupid book anyway. Dobe."

The fangirls fawned and took off after Sasuke, Sakura in the lead. Ino hung back and looked at Naruto's back before running off. No one noticed her linger in Naruto's group.

"Checkmate."

"You dirty…"

Before Naruto could begin his rant, Iruka rang the bell for them to come back in. He sealed the gameboard away, grumbling all the way back to class about lazy, genius bums. Hinata patted him on the back as she smiled. A grumpy Naruto was a funny Naruto. A gloating Shikamaru shuffled up beside Naruto and grinned, never looking at the blonde.

"You'll never beat me."

"One day Nara. One day…"

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Iruka watched as they all filed back in and he continued the lecture. After an hour, he stopped and nodded to Mizuki.

"All right class, we're going to have a few tests outside to ascertain where your skill levels lie. Everyone outside."

Naruto sighed and sealed his book away before standing and following the others out. He didn't notice the malicious grin on Mizuki's face. He knew the perfect way to hurt the fox.

Naruto stood with his arms crossed, a bored look on his face. The test was a taijutsu spar between a student and either Iruka or Mizuki to see where their strengths and weaknesses lay. The only ones left were him and Sasuke. He guessed they wanted to show off the Uchiha's strength and try to embarrass him.

He couldn't have been more right.

The object of the exercise was to land one punch on the instructor. The longer it took, the more practice you needed supposedly. Those well versed in taijutsu, like Hinata and Kiba, didn't take long at all. Those like Sakura and Ino, took a little longer to get going. He watched as one of the many girls in the class finished up and Sasuke was called forth.

Iruka called Sasuke up and settled into the basic taijutsu stance as Sasuke settled into his family stance. When Iruka gave him the signal to come, Sasuke shot forward and kicked at Iruka's head. The teacher grabbed the boy's foot and blocked a punch by raising his leg and blocking with his shin. Sasuke pushed off and pivoted in midair sending a roundhouse kick towards his midsection.

Iruka threw himself backward and let go of the boy, handspringing back into a low crouch. Sasuke shot back toward him and tried for a sweep kick but Iruka leapt into the air and was met with a punch in the gut from Sasuke. The man held up his hand for the boy to cease and Sasuke smirked as he went back into his laidback, hands-in-pocket pose. Iruka smiled and nodded to the boy as all the girls squealed and cheered for his victory.

Mizuki grinned and stepped up for his turn. He'd been waiting for this. Iruka looked at him nervously, but thought his fellow teacher had everything under control.

"Come on Uzumaki. Let's see what you've got."

Naruto walked forward until he stood before Mizuki and settled into his favorite stance. Mizuki looked at him with interest.

"And what's this called?"

"Kalaripayit."

"Kala…what?"

"Kalaripayit. It's an ancient martial art. Ready when you are sensei."

Mizuki rushed forward, punching at Naruto's head. Iruka's eyes widened. They weren't supposed to attack the students; they were just supposed to dodge!

Naruto saw the punch coming and bent backwards out of the way, pivoting his torso and coming up to the side. Mizuki spun on his heel and lashed out with a backhand. Naruto caught it and threw Mizuki's arm to the side, knocking him off balance. The man caught himself by falling forwards and thrusting backwards with a mule kick.

Naruto ducked under the kick and pushed upwards with both hands, catching Mizuki in the stomach with a double palm press. The chuunin grunted and fell hard. The strength of the boy was misleading, considering his slight frame. Mizuki came up off the ground and caught Naruto with a spinning kick, sending the boy flying. Iruka had tried to stop him, but didn't move fast enough.

As Naruto flew through the air, he wondered whether or not it would be worth hitting the building, if it meant not revealing his kekkei genkai.

…**reveal nothing. Channel chakra to your feet and land on the side of the building…**

Naruto growled under his breath, but quickly did as he was instructed. It bothered him that that was twice the Kyuubi had spoken and given him direction. He didn't like receiving advice from the demon who was sealed inside of him.

Even if it _was _good advice.

Naruto rolled in midair, channeled the chakra to his feet and landed hard in a crouch on the side of the building, spiderweb cracks appearing beneath his feet. The kids all gaped as Naruto growled audibly and launched himself off the building, coming for Mizuki full speed.

"Mizuki, NO!"

Iruka's warning was not enough. Neither combatant heard him. As Naruto approached rapidly, he saw the sensei pull out a kunai and on instinct he jerked his field knife from its scabbard. The knives clashed together and Mizuki was surprised to find the boy was stronger than he looked. He wasn't strong enough though, as Mizuki used his superior reach and kicked Naruto in the stomach, knocking him to the ground.

Naruto grunted as he hit the ground and rolled backward, avoiding a stomp directed toward his head. He twisted his body out of the way of a stab at his heart and rolled sideways away from the chuunin. He saw Iruka grab Mizuki from behind and slowly made his way up as he listened to what was being said.

"Mizuki! Snap out of it! Stop it!"

"Let me go! I have to do this! I'll be a hero!"

"Mizuki, STOP!"

"Let him go Iruka-sensei."

Iruka held the silver haired man firmly, but looked over the man's shoulder to find a fierce looking Naruto, whose voice was so cold it sent shivers down his spine.

"Let him go. He wants me, he can come get me."

…**show no mercy to those who would do you harm…**

Naruto shook off the voice and glared at the silver haired man.

"Gai-sensei always said I shouldn't let others fight my battles for me. I don't know what his problem is, but I'll fight him if he wants."

As Naruto put his knife in front of him and settled into a defensive position, two ANBU landed in the schoolyard and grabbed Mizuki by both arms.

"That won't be necessary Naruto-san. We've observed everything that went on here."

The rat-faced ANBU turned his mask to Mizuki and the smirk could be felt in his voice.

"If you would be so kind as to accompany us to visit Ibiki, Mizuki-san. He'd like a word with you about your actions taken against a student of the academy."

Mizuki's face was twisted into a rage.

"I haven't done anything wrong! That monster shouldn't even be alive!"

The mole-faced ANBU turned and punched Mizuki in his stomach, knocking the air out of him.

"That's enough out of you. You wouldn't want to add treason to your list of wrongdoings today. Naruto-san, always a pleasure to see you."

"Likewise Mole, Rat."

The two ANBU nodded and shunshined away with an unconscious Mizuki, leaving a group of bewildered children and a flustered Iruka. Naruto collapsed to his knees, the adrenaline leaving him.

'Holy crap, what was I thinking? I've only ever been in spars against Gai-sensei and he's never gone all out. That guy could have killed me!'

…**he was weak. You could have taken him…**

Naruto ignored the voice once again. He didn't need this right now. Hinata ran up to him and knelt before him.

"Are…are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine. I'm just a bit shaken up, that's all."

Kiba and the others bounded up beside him, Kiba grinning like an idiot.

"Don't know what you did to piss off Mizuki-sensei, but this year proves to be pretty interesting already with you around."

Naruto let a small smile cross his lips and looked up at his fanged companion.

"I just hope that's the last interesting thing this year."

Iruka ushered the rest back inside, stating that the tests for today were over. Neither Naruto nor his friends noticed the aura coming from Sasuke, the one of pure jealousy. He couldn't believe that the one his father had called a worthless demon had taken on a chuunin with intent to kill and had survived with hardly a scratch. He wondered who in the hell this 'Gai-sensei' was and whether or not it would be worth his time to seek the man out.

He needed power quickly so he could destroy his brother…

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The rest of the day passed quickly and without incident. Naruto was kept under the close watch of one Uchiha Sasuke the whole time and at the end of class, as Iruka was about to let them go, he heard a bird tapping at the window. He retrieved the scroll from its leg and read it quickly.

"Naruto, the Hokage requests both yours and my presence. We'll go after everyone's gone because I'd like to speak to you beforehand."

Naruto nodded and said goodbye to his friends as they left. Hinata threw him a glance at the door and he gave her a reassuring smile. Sasuke glared at him as he left and Naruto glared back, putting a tiny bit of killing intent behind it. As Sasuke's eyes widened, he threw a little more in until Iruka smacked him in the back of the head. Sasuke left like he was shot out of a gun.

"That isn't very professional Naruto. I know of your upbringing and I know you know better. Don't use techniques like that against fellow shinobi."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"But he's such a jerk Iruka-sensei. I can't help it if he doesn't like me. I'm not going to put up with his crap. The only reason he's like that is that everyone bows down to what he wants."

Iruka nodded and sighed. He knew it was the truth. That wasn't what he wanted to talk about though.

"That might be true, but that doesn't excuse your conduct, _especially_ since I know you know better. And…I'm sorry about earlier. I should have jumped in as soon as Mizuki kicked you. I'm sorry for what he did."

"Don't apologize for something you had no control over Iruka-sensei. Mizuki's getting what he deserves right now. I'm sure Ibiki-san is having fun at least."

Iruka shuddered at the casual dismissal of Mizuki. The boy had been exposed to certain things too early in life for his opinion. He knew nothing, of course, of Naruto's first kill over a week ago or his knowledge of the Kyuubi. He looked at the clock and grabbed Naruto's shoulder.

"We should head toward the tower before its too late. Hokage-sama is expecting us. Come on, we'll get there sooner the sooner we start."

He headed for the door and stopped when he realized Naruto wasn't following him.

"Something wrong?"

"…you don't expect me to walk, do you?"

Iruka quirked an eyebrow and put his hands on his hips.

"Well unless you know how to teleport both you and me, then I guess we'll have to walk."

"Iruka-sensei, can you sense anyone else around here?"

Iruka started at the question, but closed his eyes, feeling around for any chakra signatures. He found one hidden not far away. It was Uchiha Sasuke. He walked over to Naruto and whispered into his ear.

"I believe we have an eavesdropper. I'll be right back after I take care of him."

Naruto listened carefully and scowled when he heard Iruka politely ask Sasuke to leave. If that had been anyone but the boy, then he would have gotten more than a polite dismissal. Iruka came back into the room with a blank look on his face and walked back over to Naruto.

"Is he gone now?"

"Yes, he went home."

"Check again."

Iruka was becoming most upset by the boy's paranoia, but checked again. Sasuke was indeed gone. There were no others. Naruto nodded at the confirmation and stood beside Iruka, grabbing his sleeve.

"You might want to close your eyes Iruka-sensei. It can get a little…disorienting."

"What do you…"

Iruka felt the sudden jerk as they teleported at high speed and soon found himself touching down in a swirl of paper in front of the Hokage's desk.

"…mean?"

"Ah, Iruka, Naruto, just the two I wanted to see. Sit, sit. And Naruto, pick up those papers."

Naruto did as he was told and sat down in front of his grandfather's desk as Iruka bowed and sat beside him.

"Tell me about what happened at the academy Iruka."

Iruka explained everything that happened in detail as the Sandaime listened, smoked his pipe, and nodded his head at the appropriate intervals.

"Thank you Iruka. That was most thorough. Now, Naruto, you should know better than to let your temper get the better of you."

"But sensei, he attacked me. I was defending myself."

"I know that. But when Iruka had him held, you shouldn't have pressed the issue. Your other senseis and I have beaten it into your head over and over not to be rash."

"Yes, sensei."

Iruka's head swung back and forth from one to the other. 'Other senseis?'

"Hokage-sama, if I may ask, who are Naruto's other senseis'? I wasn't aware he was receiving training before the academy."

Sarutobi smiled and clasped his hands together. Iruka was always a concerned teacher, first and foremost.

"Naruto is being trained by Maito Gai in the area of taijustu, in the area of knife fighting by my son Asuma, in literature by his father, and in the area of ninjutsu by me. Naruto is trained well, but he isn't at an elite chuunin level like Mizuki quite yet. It would have been foolish to take him on."

"Sensei, I could have won."

Sarutobi glared at his protégé and Naruto wilted under that gaze.

"Remember Naruto, I know you better than anyone. I know what you're capable of. Yes, you might have held your own for a while, but there is one thing Mizuki has that you lack; experience. He has worlds more experience in battle than you do and that would have been the deciding factor. You would have lost in the end."

Naruto scowled but bowed his head. He knew that it was true.

"To be fair though Hokage-sama, Naruto did wonderfully for someone who was caught off guard. No one expected Mizuki to snap like he did and fight for real. He could have seriously hurt Naruto, but due to his training, he was able to adapt quickly. It was very impressive."

Naruto beamed at the praise, but quickly schooled his face when he saw Sarutobi look at him.

"Naruto is held to a different standard than the other children Iruka. I expect him to be able to protect himself. His training is different than the others because of his situation."

Iruka's eyes widened and he turned to look at Naruto, who sat with a calm look on his face.

"Speaking of situation, sensei, it happened again."

Sarutobi frowned and let a frown settle onto his visage.

"It did? When?"

"Right when I was flying towards the wall. It told me not to reveal anything and land on the side."

Iruka was sweating bullets. He had blundered into a conversation that was making him very ill to his stomach.

"Did you reply to it?"

"No, I didn't. I ignored it once again. But it has to know that I can hear it sensei."

Sarutobi nodded and rubbed his hands nervously.

"Just don't respond to it Naruto. That could prove disastrous."

"Hai, sensei."

"Naruto…"

The two turned to face a badly shaken Iruka, who looked scared out of his mind.

"Are you…"

Naruto nodded his head and Sarutobi sighed. It was better that Naruto's teacher not fear him.

"Iruka, you know the law. No one is allowed to talk about it…except for Naruto. The law does not apply to him. Naruto?"

The blonde nodded.

"Iruka-sensei…I know about it. I've known for quite a while now. I know what's inside me."

Iruka's mouth flopped open and closed as he tried to make sense of what he'd just heard. If someone had broken the law, they would have died though, right?

"I figured it out myself Iruka-sensei. It wasn't that hard really. There were clues all around. The only thing I want to know is…do you hate me for what I contain?"

Iruka looked at the boy and blinked slowly. He had only met the boy in person a few times as he handed in a mission report. He'd only been in Iruka's class for less than a day. Iruka thought hard and started slowly.

"Naruto…I can't honestly say I hate you…but…I don't particularly like you either. I don't know you. As wrong as it may seem, you're a constant reminder to me and the other villagers of what we lost. I'd like to ask that you let me get to know you better before asking that question again."

Naruto nodded. It was more than he could have hoped for. At least the man was willing to give him a chance.

"Iruka-sensei…thank you. Just having someone take a chance to get to know me is more than I usually get."

Iruka smiled and nodded his head. Perhaps…it was time to give the boy a chance. He'd never done anything to deserve otherwise. Sarutobi beamed at the scene and coughed into his hand.

"Iruka, thank you for being rational about this. I don't know who will replace Mizuki as your assistant, but I'll assign someone shortly. In fact, Naruto, you can work on that right now. Pull the files and find a suitable applicant."

The boy nodded and slipped on his robes and hat, before going through the files of the available chuunin. Iruka looked puzzled at the scene, causing Sarutobi to laugh.

"Come now Iruka. Who do you think chose the current academy teachers based on their performance?"

Iruka's eyes bugged and he pointed at the blonde, who had two other clones flipping through files.

"You mean, he's the reason I was chosen for the academy?"

"Hai, he was. He thought you would make a suitable teacher due to your easygoing nature and natural empathy. He was right you know. Naruto is an amazing judge of character. Mizuki was a good pick for your assistant since you two were friends growing up. His hatred of the fox was an unknown variable however."

"I knew he hated the fox, but I didn't know he hated the boy as well. I'm sorry Hokage-sama."

"Don't do that Iruka."

Iruka stared at the man quizzically and Sarutobi elaborated.

"The worst thing you can do is pity someone like Naruto. He hates it and he won't forgive you for it. If you want to help, help change everyone's opinion. You can go now. You have to prepare your lesson for tomorrow."

Iruka stood and bowed to the Hokage before saying goodbye to Naruto. One of them waved (he wasn't sure it was the original) and he left the office. Sarutobi turned to Naruto and sighed. Today was a strange day.

"Have you found anyone who even looks like they would be alright?"

One of the Naruto's looked up and grinned.

"Yeah, actually, I have. Her name is Yuuhi Kurenai, specializes in genjutsu. She'd be a natural to teach the girls. The only thing is…she might distract some of the boys…"

Sarutobi put on a lecherous grin. He knew why Kurenai might distract someone, but he wanted to hear it from Naruto's lips.

"And why is that, exactly?"

"Well…she's…she's uh…really beautiful."

"Yes, she is a beautiful woman. Perhaps you should pick a more homely one."

"NO! I mean…she'll do just fine. I'm sure we'll be able to deal with it."

"I'm sure you will. I'll notify her tomorrow and she can assume her duties the following week. Better give her some time off before she has to deal with you children all day."

"Yeah that's probably a good…HEY! We're not that bad."

"Of course you aren't. Now, help me finish these papers and we can go home."

"Hey Jiji…can I have some evenings off every now and then? So I can hang out with my friends more?"

Sarutobi smiled and went back to his paperwork.

"I thought you'd never ask. I'm surprised it's taken you this long."

Naruto gaped like a fish and pointed his finger angrily.

"You mean you would have let me do this sooner if I'd just asked?"

"Well, yes. I just assumed you liked spending time at the office."

Naruto looked like he was about to explode, but as soon as it appeared, it passed. He calmly sat down and began to furiously scribble on a pad of paper. Sarutobi was wary now. An angry Naruto was a vengeful Naruto after all.

"What are you doing?"

"Making out a design of a new jutsu, one guaranteed to make you crumble every time."

"What is it?"

"Why should I tell you? That would take out all of the surprise. Let's just say a certain student of yours inspired it."

Now that made Sarutobi sweat…which one could it possibly be? He prayed to the gods it wasn't Orochimaru…

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When Naruto returned to class the next day, he was looked at with a mixture of fear and awe. He suspected most of the class had told their parents what they'd seen and the popular response was to say that Mizuki should have been given a medal instead of being taken away. Naruto sighed and went back to listening to Kiba blabber on about something.

"Mom said that next year I can get my ninken. It'll be so cool man. I can't wait."

Shino pushed his glasses up further on his nose and turned to Kiba.

"I hope your mother is training you to take care of the poor thing. I don't think you'd like what awaits you if it is mistreated."

"Aw come on Shino. You know I wouldn't mistreat an animal."

"We'll see."

Hinata noticed how quiet Naruto was and plopped down beside him.

"That was very brave what you did yesterday Naruto-kun, facing down Mizuki-sensei like that."

Naruto looked up and gave her a small grin.

"It wasn't brave Hinata-chan, it was stupid. If he wanted to, he could have trounced me. Just because I'm really good for an academy student doesn't mean I can take on an elite chuunin. If not for Iruka-sensei stopping the fight, I might have been killed."

Hinata frowned, but quickly put on a smile for him and patted his arm reassuringly.

"I still believe you could have won."

"ALL RIGHT, SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN!"

The kids immediately fell into their seats as Iruka walked in with a purpose.

"Listen up. We'll be getting another assistant for this class, since Mizuki-sensei has been…detained. She'll be here starting next week and I expect you to show her the proper respect due a sensei. Understood?"

The class all chimed in a perfectly timed 'Hai Iruka-sensei' and he smiled.

"Good. We'll be studying some more on history today…"

'Not me.' Naruto thought as he flopped open a book on variations of Kage Bunshin. He knew all this already.

**Yeah, I'm doing things a little bit differently. Hope you liked it.**


	11. The Replacement

And here's Chapter 11. Hope you enjoy it. I'm in the middle of trying to purchase a house, so updates might be sporadic from here on out, especially if I get the house and can't update that often. We'll just have to see what happens. In the meantime...Readers, Reviewers, thank you...**Name of the Game**_ by The Crystal Method._

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

"Hello class, my name is Yuuhi Kurenai. You may address me as Kurenai-sensei. I'll be with you at least for the remainder of the year and then I hope to apply for my jounin status. It's good to meet you all."

"Good morning Kurenai-sensei."

Kurenai scanned the room, looking at all the prospective genin. There were quite a few that stuck out, mostly the clan heirs. She smirked to herself when she saw most of the boys paying rapt attention to her. The girls seemed to be staring at her in awe. It was usually like this. She was the envy of women and the desire of men. Very few could resist her charms and yet, she was known as an ice queen. She simply didn't have time for men…not that she enjoyed women.

Iruka coughed into his hand and Kurenai smiled before stepping back beside the board. At least her fellow teacher was all business when he was in a classroom. She wouldn't have to worry about him ogling her. She did notice the Inuzuka boy drooling at her. She'd have to break him of that habit.

As Iruka droned on and on about whatever subject they were on, Kurenai let her expert analytical eyes roam the room. She saw the Aburame heir sitting quietly and that was no surprise. The Aburame were a calm group as a general rule.

A couple rows away were the Nara and Akimichi heirs, respectively sleeping and pigging out on chips. Again, no surprises. The Yamanaka heir that would round out the happy trio was sighing wistfully as she stared at the heir of the Uchiha. Kurenai frowned when she saw more than one girl doing that. That would have to go _immediately_.

Her eyes scanned the room once again and found three very interesting people sitting together. The heiress of the Hyuuga clan, the only current male ninja of the Inuzuka clan, and the Hokage's adopted grandson. That was a strange combo. What had her more intrigued was that the blonde wasn't even paying attention to the lesson, opting instead to read a scroll on wind jutsus.

Iruka finished his portion and handed the rest over to her. Kurenai nodded and began to tell of the role of kunoichis in Konoha's history. She explained about Tsunade and her role in the fashioning of medic nins and her own hope of becoming a well recognized practitioner of genjutsu. She frowned when Naruto still hadn't taken his nose out of the scroll and was about to say something when Iruka stopped her.

"Don't bother Kurenai-san. He's listening, he just doesn't appear to be. I guarantee he heard every word you said."

Kurenai nodded and dismissed the children for lunch, watching as they bolted from the room. She watched the ones that caught her interest leave and turned to find Iruka pulling his lunch out of a desk drawer and beckoning for her to sit.

"So how's your first day been so far?"

Kurenai sighed and unwrapped the sandwich she had made.

"We have an interesting class. There are a few in general that intrigue me."

Iruka sat his bowl down and leaned back with his arms crossed.

"Let me guess. The girls in general, the Uchiha boy, and the Hokage's grandson?"

"Yes. Those ones, in that order."

"If you want to beat some sense into the girls' heads, then by all means, be my guest. I'm not one much for the female psyche, but even I can see that most are more interested in Sasuke than learning how to be good ninjas."

"Speaking of the young Uchiha…what is his problem? I saw him glaring at Uzumaki several times during the class. Do they have a rivalry going?"

Iruka sighed and blew on his noodles, slurping them up quickly.

"It's more like an intense hatred. Sasuke hates Naruto for some reason. The boy is unapproachable as well. He won't open up to anyone. I think that he sees Naruto as a measuring stick for himself. He's always been top of the class you know. Then Naruto came along and held his own in a fight against an elite chuunin, even pulling a knife against the man and keeping him in check in a test of strength. To be honest, I don't know whether Naruto could have beaten Mizuki or not. I held Mizuki back and the ANBU stopped any further incidents. We might never know how it could have turned out."

Kurenai nodded and took another bite of her sandwich.

"What about the mental condition of the Uchiha?"

"I can't say. The boy's been to a psychiatrist before but those records are sealed, even to me. I don't know what to make of him. Personally? I think he's a ticking time bomb…and Naruto is his current target."

"And that's bad?"

"Naruto isn't the type to go easy on Sasuke just because he's the last Uchiha. If worst came to worst…he'd flat out humiliate the boy…and make it appear easy. Like I said before, I'm not truly sure who would have won in that fight. When Naruto hit the wall, he was channeling chakra to his feet, something not taught in the academy. The boy's had outside assistance since he was little."

"Private tutors?"

Iruka nodded.

"You could say that. I don't know what his true skill level is, but he's not your average academy student. The Hokage said all he truly lacks is combat experience, but he won't receive any for a few more years."

"Unless he graduates early."

"I don't think the Hokage wants him to graduate early. He wants him to interact with children his age. Part of it might have been to see if Naruto could reach Sasuke, but that seems to be beyond even him."

Kurenai nodded when a though came to her.

"What do you think of Naruto due to his 'status'?"

"I'm indifferent at the moment. I don't know him very well. I'll reserve judgment until I see what he does and what his personality is."

"I've met him before when I was handing in mission reports. I thought he was sweet. He looked pretty cute wearing the little Hokage robes and hat."

Iruka chuckled along with her at that thought. He thought the boy looked silly in the getup.

"So thoughts on the rest of the class?"

Kurenai sighed and took another bite.

"We've got our work cut out for us."

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Uchiha Sasuke had been brooding more than normal all week since the first day of school. It had been his hope to see Naruto humbled in his spar against Mizuki, but the blonde had surprised everyone by holding his own against a chuunin. He grit his teeth, grinding them. He was supposed to be the one everyone aspired to be like.

Ever since his brother had slaughtered his family, Sasuke had been alone. He wanted no one to look after him, so secretly the Hokage had had ANBU follow him during the day and watch over him at night. The boy was a risk to himself as had been ascertained by a psychiatrist. The doctor said that his mind had been damaged and that he wasn't in the right frame of mind. The boy craved revenge and had said he would do anything to get it.

And Sasuke would. He saw everyone around him as measuring sticks and stepping-stones toward his goal. He was the last Uchiha in Konoha and therefore had the task of bringing about the restoration of the once mighty clan. But his goal before that was to bring his brother's head back to Konoha on a pike.

Uzumaki bothered him. He walked into class one day and Sasuke felt threatened. He had always been the alpha male and his status was in danger of being revoked. Sasuke was revered by the villagers and pampered everywhere he went. He didn't ask for it and pretended to not care for the attention, but secretly…he loved it. As a child, his father had always showered attention upon Itachi. Sasuke had fought for a tiny bit of praise.

And now he had a whole village saying he was their hope, their dream…they praised _him_ as the best. And he couldn't allow anyone to usurp his status.

_He _was the village's hopes and dreams for the revival of a near dead clan.

_He_ was the only one who could kill Itachi and bring him to justice.

_He_ was _Uchiha Sasuke_…and he would not be shown up by some _demon_ that was below his notice.

Sasuke sent a final glare towards where the blonde sat and pushed past his fangirls to go back inside. He would redouble his training and defeat both Itachi and the demon his father had despised…when his Sharingan finally awakened they would all be sorry.

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Kurenai had requested this time to talk to the girls personally. Iruka had wanted to take the boys out of the room, but she had said no. She wanted them to hear what she had to say as well. And with any luck, it might knock some sense into some of them.

She stood before the class and put her hands on her hips.

"It has come to my attention that some of you ladies are here for the wrong reason."

All the students perked up at that and she noticed that Naruto even looked up from his scroll.

"I'm a full-fledged kunoichi. I've taken lives; I've done things I'm not proud of in the name of my village. Part of my being here is to prepare you for what's ahead."

She looked around the room to see all eyes on her.

'Hook, line, and sinker.'

"Kunoichi lead a dangerous life. We run the risk of being caught since we're typically viewed as weaker than our male counterparts. We have to face the reality that if we're caught, we might be tortured, raped, demeaned, and worse. We have better control as a rule than men, but smaller chakra reserves. Our lives are hard."

She looked around the room, glaring at each of the ones she had pinpointed as fangirls.

"Those of you who are here to impress a certain someone need to get out now. You'll be the first to die on your first important mission because you spent more time primping and preening than training. You won't be prepared and I refuse to be the one to blame because you left here underdeveloped. If you don't meet my requirements as kunoichi,_ not the academy's but mine_, then you. Will. Not. Pass."

She glared around the room at all those kunoichi she had singled out and found a few with introspective looks on their faces. Those, she figured, would be the ones who would reach her standards. If her application for jounin status was given the greenlight, then she wouldn't be around to see them graduate and therefore not be able to enforce her rule. But, if she broke them of their habits now, they might turn out all right.

Turning to Iruka, she saw him nod.

"Take the rest of the day off and reflect on what I've told you. Tomorrow, we will resume your studies and I expect you all to come in with a new attitude."

She watched their faces as they left. Most of the girls looked despondent, some had a speculative look on their faces, the boys were still mesmerized by her, but one had a big beaming smile on his face. Uzumaki Naruto was happy with his choice of sensei.

He knew he had chosen correctly.

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Yamanaka Ino's thoughts were in turmoil. She had an insight now into the mind of a true kunoichi, not merely a ninja. She left toward home with a purpose to search her soul for why she was becoming a ninja…no, why she was becoming a kunoichi.

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Naruto avoided the Hokage office like the plague after school, opting instead to go to Kiba's house with his friends. Hinata had been escorted back to the Hyuuga house, much to hers and the boys' displeasure, but had promised to see them again tomorrow at school. Naruto and the rest watched her go until Kiba spoke up.

"Well, that sucks. Might as well not waste the day though…let's go see the new litter of puppies."

And with that they were off to waste an evening.

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When Naruto arrived home that evening he was greeted by all four of his senseis. This wouldn't bode well. Sarutobi waved them all into his study and bade them sit. Naruto's eyes cut back and forth from one to the other. Sarutobi coughed into his hand and lit his pipe while Asuma lit a cigarette, earning glares from both Gai and Yahiko.

"Naruto, we're here concerning your fight with Mizuki and what happened during and after."

Naruto gulped and nodded. Gai started next and he was serious, a sure sign that Naruto was either in trouble or in for hardcore training.

"Naruto-kun, facing off against your teacher was admirable since he attacked you first. Your use of Kalaripayit, from what I hear, was exemplary. You used your field knife well too. But we don't believe you are ready to take on someone like Mizuki yet. He was an elite chuunin, bordering on jounin."

Asuma nodded and cut in.

"Yeah kid, you did well with your knife. Shows you've been listening to me. But you need more experience if this indicates anything. You're going to have to become more experienced quickly. Unfortunately, none of us are willing to hurt you _too_ badly."

"That's right son. We'll still be continuing your training in the evening, alternating days and you'll still have your duties at the tower. But you'll have another sensei, one who isn't afraid to hurt you at all. In fact, she thrives on pain."

Naruto's eyes widened in fear. He had a good guess who they were talking about.

"Look, I promise you guys can hurt me. I kill my clones all the time. See? Nothing to worry about."

Sarutobi blew out a large cloud of smoke.

"It's not the same as real physical pain Naruto. You need to learn real physical pain and what to do when you experience it. You have to learn to work through it. It's the closest thing we can come to besides sending you out on missions and you're not ready for that yet."

Naruto hung his head in his hands and asked the inevitable question.

"Who is she?"

Yahiko turned to the door and hollered.

"All right, you can come in now."

Naruto didn't dare look; he just knew he was right. Suddenly he felt pressure on his back and arms wrapped around him from behind. Naruto shuddered when he heard the silky laugh of the one woman he was genuinely afraid of.

"Mm hm hm…why hello there, if it isn't my favorite little blonde. And what's this? He's shaking from anticipation of being my new target."

She rubbed her cheek against his and grinned.

"Thank you so much for my new cuddly Hokage-sama. I've always wanted a foxy blonde."

Sarutobi expertly stemmed the blood threatening to escape his nose and breathed deeply. This was one of the few times he envied his grandson…just for the moment of course.

"Anko, he's all yours for two hours a day after school. Just don't kill him."

Anko clapped her hands happily like a little girl and jumped around, her breasts jiggling, the men's eyes following.

"Yay! New toy, new toy! Me and Naru-chan are gonna have a lot of fun!"

Drawing a kunai and replacing her happy face with a sadistic one she got right into the boy's face.

"Aren't we Naru-chan?"

Naruto nodded dumbly and Anko's smile came back immediately.

"Good. I'll see you tomorrow after school. I'm gonna cut you up soooo goooood!"

She left out whistling and Naruto let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

"Jiji…you hate me don't you? Secretly, you _want_ me to die."

"Now Naruto, you know that's not true. I'm being nice here. It was either Anko or Ibiki…and I know you know how Ibiki is like."

Naruto shuddered again and nodded.

"I guess Anko is the lesser of the two evils. I'll meet her tomorrow…um, where exactly am I meeting her tomorrow?"

"She said she'd pick you up after school."

All they heard was Naruto gurgle and pass out on the floor. Asuma nudged him with his foot and lit a new cigarrete.

"What a baby. Anko's not that bad."

Yahiko raised an eyebrow as he picked up his son and looked at his younger brother.

"I don't see you offering to spar with her every afternoon. Perhaps you'd like to take Naruto's place."

"Nah, I'm trying to get a date with that Kurenai girl. She's a lot more…_sane_. Besides…I think Anko likes Naruto."

Yahiko leveled his brother with a glare that could cut diamond.

"My son is ten. If she knows what's good for her, she'll stay away."

Asuma shrugged and grinned.

"He won't be ten forever. Maybe she's just staking a claim…"

Yahiko left grumbling and Asuma grinned in victory until he heard twin coughs from behind him. He turned to find Gai and his father glaring at him in disapproval.

"What?"

"That was most unyouthful Asuma-san. Naruto-kun is too young for Anko."

"I agree Asuma. That was not funny."

"But he _won't_ be ten forever. And he could do a lot worse than Anko as far as looks go. He might even be able to tame her."

Sarutobi huffed as his son left the room and he turned to Gai.

"Did I do the right thing with Anko?"

"I do not know Hokage-sama. Anko-san is a…strange one. She'll either help the boy or kill him."

'Strange, yes. Coming from you that means a lot Gai.'

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Naruto was nervous all during school that day and Kiba and Hinata, sitting right next to him, couldn't help but notice. Even Kurenai and Iruka had seen the boy glancing nervously around the room and out the windows as if someone was after him. Considering his 'tenant' and the violent reaction he'd had since coming out fully into the public, it wasn't a surprise he was paranoid.

Kurenai had had a strange conversation with her friend Anko the night before. The woman had pounded on her door impatiently until she opened up and had leapt onto her couch, speaking in a singsong voice.

"_I got a new target today!"_

"_Did you? How long till you destroy this one?"_

"_Oh this one can't be destroyed. In fact, I get to use it over and over and over and by the next day, it's ready to go again!"_

_Kurenai quirked her eyebrow and blinked several times. Anko was a strange one, that was to be sure._

"_So…it's a target that you can repair with chakra?"_

"_The target contains chakra. It repairs itself."_

_Kurenai sighed and ran a hand through her jet-black hair._

"_Anko, just tell me what it is. I'm tired. I started at the academy today you know."_

_The purple haired woman huffed and puffed her cheeks out, for all the world looking like a three year old._

"_Fine. My new target is Uzumaki Naruto and he's a real cutey. Scared of me too."_

"…_one of your targets is one of my students. Who in their right mind would let you use their child for target practice?"_

"_The Hokage. He says the boy needs to toughen up and get a little combat experience. Gai isn't afraid to punch him, but he won't pull a knife on the boy. His father Yahiko, just can't bring himself to harm his son and his uncle Asuma is way too lazy. The Hokage doesn't have the time, so…here I am!"_

"_They're insane, you'll end up killing him before the week's over."_

"_Nah, he'll live. The kid's pretty tough from what I hear. Gai's training sessions are brutal and he survived those. My job is to make sure that he learns how to dodge and counter in a real fight. The Hokage also requested I teach him some of my more…subtle skills."_

_Kurenai's eyes bugged out at the lunacy of all this._

"_Teaching an academy student assassination skills? What the hell is that man thinking? The boy can't be older than eleven."_

"_He's ten and I started much younger. Kure-chan…the boy has to learn that his life isn't going to be easy. It's going to be one fight after another whether he likes it or not. If he's any good, I might see if they'll let me take him on as an apprentice after his school career is over, but the Hokage told me he wants the boy on a team. That's why I swung by to see you. I want to know how he is."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_I want to know how he acts in class. I'm taking a vested interest in him and I want to know if he'll be worth my time."_

"_He's…quiet really. Always has his nose stuck in a book, but he's paying attention at the same time. He and the Uchiha boy don't get along very well."_

_Anko snorted and leaned back further into her seat, her arms behind her head._

"_Nobody gets along with that kid. I've had to babysit him a few times and observed him. Frankly, the kid is probably more mental than I am."_

"_You're crazy by choice Anko. There's a difference."_

"_Yeah, yeah. Anyway, long story short, is the Uzumaki boy going to be worth my time in your opinion?"_

_Kurenai thought for a little bit before looking back up to her friend._

"_I think he'll be more than worth your time. He has a lot of people interested in him."_

_Anko grinned fiercely and nodded._

"_I'm gonna have soooo much fun."_

Kurenai couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor boy. Working in the Hokage's office all those years, he couldn't help but know how Anko acted. And it was obvious he knew who was coming to get him after school from the way he was acting. She glanced at the clock. Nearly time to go. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw a black ball hurtling toward the window and braced for impact.

The black ball hit the window at full speed and exploded outwards, kunai going to four corners of the classroom. A woman emerged from out of the black banner that was spread and stood with her hands on her hips, grinning like a maniac, dressed only in a tiny miniskirt, fishnet, and a tan trenchcoat. When Naruto saw what was on the banner, he tried his best to shrink into his desk. If only his grandfather would allow him to use his kekkei genkai in public…

**The Ever Sexy and Single, Mitarashi Anko! Looking for my new toy, Uzumaki Naruto!**

Hinata and Kiba swung their eyes to Naruto, Hinata in concern of what the crazy lady wanted, Kiba with a sour look on his face.

"I hate you, you know that?"

Naruto gave him a glare and tried to remain inconspicuous, a hard feat since he had neon yellow hair.

"Then you go with her and be her freaking kunai target. That's what she wants me for!"

He felt a familiar pressure on his back and shuddered as those silky arms wound their way around his neck. The entire class watched wide-eyed, Uchiha Sasuke included.

"Awww, you weren't hiding from me, were you Naru-chan? Because if you _were_ hiding, that's points against you already."

"I wasn't hiding, I was…looking for my things."

Anko pushed a kunai against his cheek and tapped it lightly to his hearbeat.

"You're a horrible liar under pressure, another thing we're going to have to work on. Now come on, let's go. I've got two hours to turn you into a pincushion before I hand you over to Yahiko, and I don't want to waste a second."

Without any further ado, the two vanished with a shunshin, leaving a sighing Kurenai and a bewildered Iruka and class. Hinata turned to Kiba with a worried look.

"Do you think he'll be alright?"

"Who cares if he's alright, did you see her boobs? They were hanging out of her trenchcoat! She's not wearing anything! I'm gonna kill him."

Hinata tuned her doggy friend out and gathered her things before rushing off to home.

'She better not do anything inappropriate with Naruto-kun."

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Sasuke ground his teeth when he saw Naruto disappear with the insane woman. He could only assume that she was training the boy. Well, perhaps it was time for him to get in on some of that training...he'd just have to use the Uchiha charm...

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Naruto stood stockstill in the middle of a clearing. He didn't know when she might try to do something, so the best thing to do was wait. As soon as they'd arrived Anko had bounded off to God knows where and he hadn't seen her in several minutes. He'd talked enough about battle with his father to know what she was doing though.

She was driving up his tension, trying to make him worry and falter. This was a battle tactic that was easy and effective. Keep the enemy guessing where you're at and don't stop moving. She could be anywhere. Suddenly, he felt hands grasp his feet and he was pulled underground. Anko emerged soon after and tapped a kunai, point forward, to his forehead.

"You're dead. You need to be more aware."

Naruto nodded and looked up at her, trying to avoid the fact that she was wearing purple undies.

"Anko-sensei, has Jiji told you everything about me?"

Anko nodded and knelt down, inadvertently (or maybe on purpose, you never know with Anko) giving him another eye full. Naruto struggled to keep eye contact but it was hard. Anko analyzed that in her mind.

'Struggling not to be perverted but still maintaining a healthy need to look. Good, good. He might be interesting after all.'

"Your grandfather told me all about you. Said if I wanted to train you to the fullest then I'd need to know everything…especially about your kekkei genkai."

Naruto grinned and Anko was immediately wary. Her eyes widened slightly as the boy began to seemingly melt into the ground. Once he was gone fully, a disembodied voice echoed through the air.

"If you know of my kekkei genkai, then you should know that what you just did is useless against me. I don't get detained. I don't get restrained. I just…disappear."

Anko began to breathe a little heavily, excited at the possibilities that such a technique could offer. She grinned as she licked down the length of her kunai.

"You're an assassin's wet dream kiddo. I'm definitely going to fight to make you my apprentice."

"Become your apprentice? Not a chance lady."

Her grin became more malicious when she felt him come up behind her, his chakra signature fully hidden until he emerged.

"Who said you had a choice? Found you."

Naruto grit his teeth as she held the kunai under his throat. He didn't like being in this position.

"This isn't what we're here for. We're here to teach you how to fight."

Naruto frowned as he stood up.

"But Gai-sensei and Asuma-sensei already taught me how to fight."

"WRONG! They taught you how to use your fists and your knife. They didn't teach you anything about attacking or defending against an attacker. They didn't teach you to be ruthless."

"Then what was all that training for?"

"I'm going to teach you how to be merciless to your enemies, how to defend yourself by showing no mercy. But before I teach you to attack, I'm going to show you why you shouldn't fear an attack."

"How?"

She grinned and launched herself at him, stabbing left and right with a kunai.

"By showing you what pain is and teaching you not to fear it! If you get stabbed enough, you'll lose your fear of being stabbed and will be able to attack with abandon! NOW HOLD STILL!"

**...I like this woman...**

Naruto grunted when a quick jab sliced across his arm. This wouldn't bode well.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

An hour and a half later found a topless Naruto pinned to the ground by four snakes, one on each limb, his shirt and fishnet long gone, as Anko made incisions and cuts along his torso and arms, transfixed by his healing ability. Every time she made a shallow cut it would hiss and then just…seal up, mending the flesh.

"This is so cool. I could do this for hours."

Naruto winced as she cut deep again and hissed.

"I really wish you wouldn't. I'm starting to get light headed from blood loss."

"Ah you'll be fine you big baby. I'll take you home now since you're going to cry."

"I'm not crying, you psycho! You've done nothing but cut me up for two hours! I have a right to be upset!"

Anko whacked him upside the head and dispelled her snakes.

"Stop it. You're not allowed to cry like a child. That's what this training is for. By the time I'm through with you, you'll forget what pain is…or just not care anymore. I forget which."

Naruto groaned as she picked him up and slung him onto her back. Anko grinned and made the seal for shunshin. She wasn't far behind the Sarutobi estates. Just a few quick teleports away.

As soon as they touched down in the familiar backyard of the Sarutobi estate, Naruto leapt off her shoulders and dashed across the ground. Anko's eyebrow twitched in annoyance and she sneered at the blonde.

"So…you lied to me. You said you didn't have any energy left. Hm Hm Hm…tomorrow, I'm going to make damn sure you won't be able to move."

Naruto thrust his finger accusingly at the purple haired woman.

"You are insane lady! First, you stab me while keeping me on the run and tell me not to fight back, then you hold me down and stab me just because you think my wounds healing was 'cool'. Crazy bitch!"

"Watch your language young man!"

Naruto cringed and turned around to find the unhappy face of his mother. When she saw all the holes in his clothing her eyebrows flew to her hairline and she rushed to his side.

"What happened to you? You look like you ran through a sawmill."

The blonde cut his eyes to his newest sensei and Eri's eyes followed. Anko waved merrily from the side with a huge grin on her face.

"My new sensei has been assigned to…toughen me up. Her methods are unorthodox and painful…and she's scary."

Anko pushed the boy aside and bowed before Eri.

"Eri-san, it's good to see you again. Your son is a bit of a brat…and a fibber as well. He told me he was tired after our training session."

Eri sighed and crossed her arms.

"Anko-san, you really need to act more your age. Seriously, cutting up small children for fun? You should be ashamed."

Naruto swung his head back and forth between the two, trying to figure out a connection.

"Do you two know each other?"

Eri smiled down at her son.

"No, not at all. Your grandfather thought it would be a good idea for me to meet her though beforehand and explain her method of training so I wouldn't try to kill her when she brought you home. Your grandfather tries to think of everything in advance."

"Yes, he does. Now come inside and we'll begin your studies for the evening."

The blonde sighed and slowly made his way inside to begin his evening lessons.

"Bye Naru-chan! I'll pick you up tomorrow!"

She giggled when she saw the boy flinch and continue his trek inside. Her life just got a whole lot better.

"Anko-san, try not to kill my son."

"Aw, Yahiko-san, you take all the fun out of my job…"

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Naruto's friends watched as he flinched at every little noise during lunch. Every time a leaf rustled or a blade of grass was bent, his head whipped to find the source of the noise. Hinata touched his arm and he nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Naruto-kun, are you alright? You're acting strange."

"It's my new sensei. I keep expecting her to pop up any second and resume her torture."

Shino leaned up from his seat and looked in Naruto's direction.

"You do not approve of your new sensei? I believe Kiba summed it up when he said she was 'hot'."

"Yeah Naruto. She's really cool. How could you not like her?"

The blonde cut his eyes around to the sound of footsteps, completely ignoring his friends and growled when he saw Sasuke approaching, fangirls in tow.

"Go away Uchiha, I don't have the time or the patience to deal with you today."

Sasuke smirked and put his hands in his pockets.

"I want to speak with you…alone."

"I don't want to speak with you."

The smirk left Sasuke's face and he stared hard at the blonde.

"Just hear me out. Come with me. All I ask is five minutes of your time."

Naruto growled and stood. He wasn't in the mood for any games.

"I thought your father told you not to associate with 'demons'. Are you going against a dead man's wishes?"

Sasuke let out a slow breath and grit his teeth, his hands twitching.

"Sometimes…sometimes you have to make a deal with devils to avenge angels. All I want to do is talk to you in private. You can grant me that at least."

Naruto frowned, but nodded and followed Sasuke over to another spot. He heard the sound of footsteps and bared his teeth while growling at the people following them. It was an intimidating sight.

"He said_ alone_. Are you people deaf?"

Without another word he walked beside Sasuke to a quiet corner of the schoolyard.

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Anko had taken it upon herself to follow her new charge to find out what his life was all about and the more she spied on him, the more intrigued she became. This was certainly a new development.

'It seems my life won't be boring for quite a while. I'll talk with Kure-chan after this.'

She bounded silently after the two, intent on hearing what had to be said.

**Ooooo...character depth, development, and Anko, Oh My! Let me know what you think...**


	12. The First Step to Forgiveness

And here's Chapter 12. Hope you enjoy this one. Still trying to flesh out the characters a bit more and keep the story going. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...**Let Me Go **_by 3 Doors Down._

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

Naruto huffed as he leaned back against the academy building and crossed his arms, his blue eyes latched onto Sasuke's onyx ones. He didn't want to be there at that moment.

"What do you want Sasuke? I'm not in the mood for any of your insults today."

The Uchiha stood up a bit straighter and steeled himself. He hated situations like these. Turning his head to the side slightly so Naruto couldn't see the expression on his face, he spoke with determination.

"That woman…the one who picked you up yesterday…she is your sensei, yes?"

Naruto squinted his eyes and shifted his back against the stone wall. What was the Uchiha digging at?

"Yeah…so?"

Sasuke closed his eyes and swallowed, looking like he had drank sour milk. He hated asking for help, it always left a bad taste in his mouth...ever since his brother refused to help him. He grit his teeth and opened his eyes slowly.

"I want her to teach me. You went up against a chuunin and were able to land decisive blows on him. I need that power, Uzumaki. I need to get stronger quickly. She has to teach me! Ask her to teach me!"

Naruto blinked slowly and uncrossed his arms. So…that's what this was all about. He looked up at the sky and sighed. This probably wouldn't go over well.

"Not my call. You want her to teach you, you go ask her. Anko-sensei doesn't do anything she doesn't want to do, never has, never will. But…if you want to be her new pincushion, then by all means, be my guest. If you're there, perhaps she won't cut me up so bad…"

The more Naruto mused on the situation in an amused manner, the more Sasuke's blood boiled. He hated being ignored; he hated being made fun of. Especially by someone he held as being beneath him. With a lunge forward, he grabbed Naruto by the collar and thrust him against the building, ending the boy's thoughts immediately.

"Don't patronize me! I need power now! I have to avenge my family. Their blood cries out from the soil!"

Naruto glared at the boy and shoved his arms away, turning his body so he presented less of a target incase the Uchiha decided to attack.

"I'm not playing around Uzumaki! These little academy games? They aren't helping me at all. I need power to accomplish my goal. I'm going to kill him and revive my clan. Your sensei is strong, I can use her power to grow stronger."

Naruto frowned and tensed, his fist balling up.

"See? That's the whole problem. You said the word 'use'. You can't use people Sasuke. Not for that purpose. It's wrong. You're going about this the wrong way."

Sasuke ground his teeth and pointed his finger in Naruto's face, not two inches from his nose, the heat of the moment fueling his anger.

"And that would you know? You don't know what it's like to be alone, to have no one. You still have parents! You still have a family! You have people who care about you!"

Naruto growled, a bestial growl that shook Sasuke, even in his anger, and jabbed his own finger in the Uchiha's face, his fangs on full display.

"And you _would_ if you'd take that stick out of your ass! You have a village full of people who love you because you're the last Uchiha! You don't know what it's like to be hated for something you have no control over! You don't know what it's like to be called a 'demon'!"

Sasuke lowered his finger and glowered at Naruto, who lowered his finger and the two stood chest to chest, snarling.

"So…you won't ask your sensei to teach me?"

"Ask her yourself. You want her to teach you so bad, go find her and ask her. I'm not your slave, Sasuke, and I'm not going to bow down to you like the rest of them."

Sasuke turned his back, having been denied what he wanted for the first time in a long time. It was hard, and yet…refreshing at the same time. He might not have the help of the 'demon's' sensei, but he'd find someone stronger.

There was always someone stronger.

Before he walked back around the corner, he turned and sneered at Naruto.

"I didn't actually think you'd help me. After all, why would a demon help the one who is set to destroy him? I'll avenge my family and then…I'll complete my father's wish."

Without another word, Sasuke walked around the corner and back to his favorite spot in the schoolyard, his fangirls falling in behind him.

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Naruto emerged moments later and plodded back over to his friends, flopping down beside Hinata. He reached around behind him and plucked something miniscule off his back, turning it in his hands as all his friends watched. Narrowing his eyes, he held out the small bug to Shino.

"Next time you place one of your little friends on me Shino, I'll squish it. And don't you tell anyone what was said, understood?"

Shino nodded and let the bug crawl into his sleeves.

"I apologize for my actions Naruto. I simply thought it best to send one of my bugs in case Sasuke tried to be…abrupt."

"I had the situation under control."

Naruto turned to Hinata and frowned at the look on her face. She looked…disappointed in him.

"You were watching with your Byakugan weren't you? And reading lips, I suppose?"

"Yes, I was. Some of those things you said to Sasuke-san were harsh and unlike you. Of course, that was no excuse for his actions either."

Naruto sighed and put his hand to Hinata's ear, making her blush from the close contact.

"Hinata-chan, please, don't tell anyone anything you heard. I'll explain what all was said one day, since I trust you more than anyone. Just…don't ask me right now, ok?"

Hinata nodded and fought her blush down, as the boys all looked on with smirks. Kiba couldn't help himself.

"So…moving in on Hinata already, huh, Naruto?"

The blonde blushed and glared at his doggy friend.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll drop this right now."

Kiba grinned and latched his arms around the necks of Shikamaru and Chouji.

"Come on guys, it's time for a song. You know which one."

"Tch…I'm not singing that."

"Yeah, Naruto'll kill us."

Kiba frowned and decided to sweeten the deal, whispering to them.

"Help me make fun of him and I'll buy you a puzzle book and a big bag of chips."

"Tch…troublesome…I'm in."

"Any flavor I want?"

"Any flavor you want."

Chouji grinned and waited for Kiba to start. Naruto might hurt them in the end, but it was a free bag of _chips_. Kiba cinched his arm around their necks tighter and belted out the lyrics.

"Naruto and Hinata sitting in a tree…"

Shikamaru and Chouji grinned and joined in.

"K. I. S. S. I. N. G."

"YOU'RE ALL DEAD!"

Hinata and Shino watched in barely contained amusement as a vengeful Naruto chased the three laughing boys all around the schoolyard, barely missing them until Shikamaru caught him in his Kagemane jutsu and tried not to release it as the blonde was tickled mercilessly by Kiba and Chouji. Shino scooted closer to Hinata, still staring at the ongoing shenanigans.

"You heard what was said as well?"

She nodded, giggling at Naruto's predicament.

"Yes, I read their lips. I can't believe that the Uchiha's held such beliefs about Naruto-kun."

"Nor can I. He has given no indication that he has done anything demonic. The growl is somewhat disturbing, but I chalk that up to intimidation and using chakra to massage his throat muscles as he expels air. Quite a useful intimidation tactic. I believe we should keep an eye on Naruto's back from now on. Sasuke is not one to let a slight go lightly."

Hinata nodded grimly and tried not to laugh as Shikamaru marched Naruto up in front of her, still caught in the Kagemane, and made him kneel down in front of her. Hinata was immediately wary, but with Naruto blocking her way, she couldn't move. Naruto was struggling to get out, but Shikamaru was holding him firm. He could practically feel the grin from the three boys on the back of his head. Kiba came around so he could see him and smirked.

"Now, Naruto, you know what the song said. We can't have you being a bad boyfriend to Hinata."

The blonde growled and bore his teeth.

"Kiba…you better tell Shikamaru to let me go…"

Chouji smacked on his chips and smiled; happy for once that Naruto was the one in a bind.

"Nah, I think you should…give Hinata a big old kiss Naruto."

The brunette girl and the blonde boy's eyes flew open and Naruto struggled harder.

"Damn it Shikamaru, let me go."

The lazy shadow user grinned and leaned in a little bit further.

"I don't think so."

With a quick jolt forward, Naruto's lips impacted with Hinata's and the girl turned blood red before passing out with a small smile on her lips. Naruto was keeping his thoughts somewhere between marveling at how soft Hinata's lips were…and wholesale slaughter of his friends. He shook with fury and Shikamaru couldn't keep the jutsu up and contain his laughter at the same time. Naruto rounded on his three friends with a crazed look in his eye, his fangs glinting in the sunlight.

"You should run now."

The three took off like bats out of hell, Naruto in hot pursuit. The blonde waited until they were gone and walked back over, sitting down beside Hinata. He sighed and shook the girl's shoulder.

"Hinata-chan, wake up."

The small smile on her face grew as she mumbled.

"Mmmm…tasty…like…dango…"

Naruto frowned and sat her upright, letting her lean against his shoulder. He turned to Shino, whose lips could easily be seen quirked up into a smile, even under his high collar.

"Not a word Aburame."

"Wouldn't think of it…loverboy."

Naruto growled and went back to trying to wake up Hinata before lunch was over.

"Jackass."

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Kurenai and Anko watched the shenanigans from the window, laughing heartily at the antics of the students. Once they saw that it was mostly over, Anko turned to Kurenai with a serious look on her face.

"So…you were there as well."

Kurenai blinked in surprise. She was sure that her genjutsu had been foolproof.

"Yes, I was. I heard everything. So…are you going to teach him?"

Anko frowned and looked back out the window.

"Hell no. He's a selfish, whiny, manipulative little brat and I'm not sharing my knowledge so he can go and get himself killed by his brother. I'll stick to my current student."

"Who you've spent most of the time carving up. You know, I just had a thought."

Anko smirked and turned around to face her friend.

"Oh really?"

Kurenai smiled and leaned against Iruka's desk. Revenge was sweet sometimes.

"I remember you saying that you thought Naruto was 'cute' and 'worth your time'. I didn't know you were in to younger guys."

Anko huffed angrily and held her hand up, ticking off fingers.

"One, he's like, what, ten years old? That's just wrong. Two, I'm not a pedophile. I'll leave that to _him_. Three…well, who knows what he'll be like when he's older? I'll reserve judgment til then."

Kurenai gaped at her snaky friend and plastered her hand over her face.

"Oh gods, you _are_ staking a claim on him. Anko, you should be ashamed."

Anko rolled her eyes and groaned.

"I'm not staking a claim. I'm just saying he won't be ten forever. Who knows what could happen later?"

"Sicko."

"You love me anyway."

Kurenai sighed and looked at the clock.

"Look, I have to let the kids back in, so you need to disappear. Try not to bust anymore windows when you pick Naruto up this evening."

Anko pouted and slid the window open.

"Spoilsport."

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Months passed and there were no more incidents from Sasuke on Naruto's part. Anko, however, had been stopped by the boy on the way out of her favorite dango shop. She'd known he was tailing her, but had ignored it since she had no intention of teaching him anything. When he had stood in her way, she had put her hands on her hips and glared at him.

_"What do you want brat?"_

_Sasuke had given her a cold look and bowed before her. Anko was sure the boy's back was about to break from the strain. Uchihas didn't bow to those below their station._

"_I humbly ask that you take me on as a student, so that I can learn to fight."_

"_Denied."_

_Sasuke growled and looked up into Anko's unamused eyes._

"_Why?"_

"_Because you want power for the wrong reasons. I'm not helping a delusional brat get himself killed."_

_People had begun to stop on the streets now and listen to the proceedings. Anko wasn't a populare figure in Konoha, but no one doubted her skill. What amazed them was that she was refusing to teach the last Uchiha. Most would give their right arms for the honor._

_Anko spun on her heel and began to walk off, when Sasuke yelled out._

"_You think you know everything huh? You don't know anything about my situation!"_

_Anko rounded on him immediately, calling on her Senei Jashu jutsu and pinning the boy to the wall with snakes on either side of his head._

"_Don't talk down to me brat. I know more about betrayal than you'll know in a lifetime. Don't preach to me and don't presume that I'm one of your worshippers. You'll never be a student of mine, ever!"_

_Sasuke watched her go and seethed. Why was it that he seemed to be on the short end of the stick lately?_

Naruto had chuckled when she told him the story. He pitied the kid's situation, but he was going about it the wrong way. He couldn't stand that.

His skill with his knife had grown by leaps and bounds to the point where he could sometimes catch Anko offguard. His training with Asuma had been a boon. Gai had run him into the ground, forcing him to new levels and his speed and strength had improved greatly. Sarutobi had been busier than ever though, and hadn't had time to teach him much of anything else, so Naruto had taken to reading and trying things on his own. He'd learned a few but nothing powerful.

His kekkei genkai had improved the most. His speed underground was almost as fast as his speed above ground and after several experiments at the Hokage office, he had found that his chakra signature was completely hidden from the Sharingan and the Byakugan. It seemed he actually became the object he was in. He was completely hidden.

Gai had found it to be almost like a game, trying to figure out where Naruto would pop up next in their spars. Asuma found it to be very troublesome, since his training involved sharp pointy things. Anko loved it, absolutely loved it. She'd swore that in his final academy year, she'd begin to teach him the skills of the assassin. Naruto couldn't wait.

He'd begun to notice that Hinata acted strange around him ever since that kiss and whenever he'd ask her what was wrong, she'd blush and say 'nothing'. As long as he kept at it though, eventually she'd stop blushing and be able to hold a conversation. By the next day though, she'd be back to looking like a cherry. He blamed his friends for her predicament and vowed to get them back.

Naruto was now sitting at the top of the class, the top slot alternating between him and Sasuke. Naruto really didn't care one way or the other if he was number one and decided he didn't want to encourage Sasuke to turn it into a competition. So, he did the only thing he could think of and slipped to number two in classwork. He didn't let the physical stuff slide though. That was his domain.

He'd noticed a trend in the girls of his class as Kurenai began to mold them. Some were beginning to actually take their studies seriously, some had dropped out completely. Others were coming along more slowly and the truly fanatical fangirls among them had made no progress whatsoever. Kurenai knew she couldn't really hold them back, but she had hoped her threat would carry a little more weight.

Her lessons on being true kunoichi had broken through to one girl in particular however. This is why we find Yamanaka Ino approaching one Uzumaki Naruto as he prepared to walk outside for lunch one day.

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Yamanaka Ino had been popular her whole life. She had helped her friend Sakura with her confidence issues early on in life and had gained a friend. But…she'd also lost one in gaining Sakura, since none of the girls would play with her if she was friends with Naruto. She'd asked the boy that one day what he had done to make them angry, but he seemed to genuinely not know what the problem was.

She'd told him if he was going to run off her new friends then she didn't want anything to do with him and she'd stuck to that. Naruto had not pressed her either. But even Ino had to admit that the boy had been fun to hang around and play with. Shikamaru, Chouji, and the rest had stuck by him and had suffered no ill effects. As the years went on, she began to think perhaps she had been too hasty in tossing him aside.

She'd gone on over the years to obsess over Sasuke, as he was the coolest boy in school and being the most popular girl herself, she thought it was a perfect match. No matter how much she or any other girl tried though, they couldn't break through his cold exterior. No matter what they did, no matter how pretty they were, or how hard they trained, Sasuke would not be moved. He was a sympathetic figure and every girl fantasized about mending his broken heart.

Once Naruto joined the class, Ino had been more preoccupied than ever with her thoughts. She'd even been arguing with Sakura less and less over Sasuke. Naruto hadn't once looked her way and for some reason that bothered her. She knew she was a good-looking girl and when she got older and started developing more she'd be a knockout. But the only girl Naruto interacted with was Hinata. She monopolized him…even if the other girls weren't interested, you don't monopolize a boy!

She'd watched how Sasuke interacted with him and every time had become less and less impressed with the Uchiha's attitude. Not that she was giving up on Sasuke any time soon. But…she was starting to see her fellow blonde in a new light.

Then Kurenai-sensei had come along and turned her world upside down as to how a true kunoichi acted. Kurenai was beautiful, the envy of women and the object of desire for men, but she was all business. That was a true kunoichi…and Ino wanted that. Hell, even Naruto's weird sensei Anko was a hottie and everyone knew she killed for fun.

After weighing her options and digging through her heart and soul, Ino had come to one inevitable conclusion. She had wronged Naruto when they were little and she needed to ask for forgiveness. She could only hope he'd accept.

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Naruto watched with interest as Ino approached him and remained seated. Hinata opted to stay as well…just in case. She couldn't explain it, but since that kiss, she'd felt strange around Naruto. If only she could put her finger on it…

Ino gulped as she walked up, under the scrutinizing blue eyes of Uzumaki Naruto. She'd forgotten how you could get lost in them, like they went on forever. Shaking that thought from her head, she smiled shyly and waved.

"Ino-san. How can I help you?"

Ino's hand dropped to her side. That was a much cooler reception than she'd figured on, but then again, maybe she deserved it. She slipped her small smile back on and put her hands behind her back.

"Can I talk to you?"

Naruto sighed and turned to his brunette friend, taking notice of the unhappy look on her face. She didn't like it when he talked to other girls.

"Hinata-chan, go ahead and start eating. I won't be long."

Hinata nodded and grabbed both of their lunches before starting down the steps, glaring at Ino as she went by. The platinum blonde girl cocked an eyebrow and watched Hinata walk out the door, turning around at the doorway to look at Naruto again. Surely the two weren't dating?

"Ino-san?"

Ino turned around again to find Naruto standing with his hands in his pockets, looking at her with disinterest. This was not going how she had planned.

"Naruto…what happened?"

Naruto gave her a funny look and took his hands out of his pockets.

"What do you mean?"

Ino tilter her head toward the floor and shuffled her feet. This wasn't going how she had planned at all.

"When we were little and I said that I wouldn't play with you if you ran off my new friends…why didn't you try to play with me?"

"Ino…you're the one who pushed me away, not the other way around. You were the one who believed I was a bad person…"

Ino's eyes widened and she interjected quickly.

"I never thought you were a bad person! I just…"

Naruto narrowed his eyes and Ino cringed under their gaze. Those pools of blue were petrifying when they were trained on you in a malicious way.

"You just what? Didn't care that you hurt my feelings back then and in no way, shape, or form in the past few years have made any strides to mend anything? Why now Ino? Why talk to me now? Want to find out what Sasuke said to me? Or were you sent by him to beg on his behalf?"

Ino's eyes kept widening the more he went on and tears began to well up in her eyes.

"That's not it at all! I just wanted to apologize to you."

Naruto ran a hand through his hair and sighed, looking at Hinata out the window. He wanted to be down there with his friends, not up here with Ino. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled slowly and locked eyes with the girl in front of him.

"If you want to apologize, prove to me that you are serious. Actually be friendly to me, and eventually I might consider you a friend. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm late to lunch with my friend."

As he pushed past her, Ino grabbed his arm. Naruto slowly let his gaze rise from her hand to her face and gave her a questioning look.

"Are you…are you and Hinata…you know…dating?"

Naruto frowned and shook her hand loose.

"Not that it matters, but no, we're not. Maybe one day though…Good day, Ino-san."

Without another word he was out the door and headed down the hall. Ino watched as he waved happily to Hinata and she smiled as she handed him his lunch. Ino sighed wistfully and put her hand to the glass. From her vantage point, she could see two opposite ends of the spectrum. Naruto and his warmth, laughing and joking with his friends. Sasuke and his cold demeanor, brooding and glaring at anyone and everyone that came near. Truly, the two were night and day…

Ino just needed to find out whether she preferred sunrise or sunset…

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Hinata beamed at Naruto as he flopped down beside her and handed him his lunch.

"So? How'd it go Naruto-kun?"

Naruto fished the apple packed for him out of the bag and took a bite, leaving imprints where his fangs cut through. He chewed slowly and smiled at Hinata, swallowing before he spoke.

"Ino wanted to apologize for not being my friend all these years."

He took another bite and stared ahead. Hinata looked at him expectantly and after several moments of nothing, began to get a little peeved.

"And?"

Naruto stared at her blankly for several moments before realization dawned on him and his mouth formed an 'o'.

"Oh…I told her to act friendly if she wanted to be my friend. That was that, I think…Oh! She also wanted to know if we were going out. I told her no."

Hinata's head sunk a little, but she retained her smile.

"Oh, ok."

Naruto grinned at her reaction. Messing with Hinata was fun. He'd never known her to be the jealous type. Maybe in a couple years he'd be willing to date her. Wasn't like he'd find another girl interested in him anyway…

"Hinata-chan, why do you sound so down? You're not…jealous are you?"

Hinata blushed and hunched down inside her jacket. The boy could be so embarrassing sometimes.

"I'm not jealous…I was just worried that she was being mean to you…"

Naruto nodded and dug into his sack again, pulling out a sandwich.

"Sure you were Hinata-chan."

"Hey, Naruto! Whatcha talking about?"

Naruto glared at his other friends, seated several feet away. He'd banished them from underneath his and Hinata's tree until he was willing to forgive them for the kiss…no matter how good it felt. He blushed slightly at the memory.

"You be quiet Kiba. If it's important, I'll let you know."

"Ass!"

"Flea-ridden mongrel!"

"You take that back! I am _not_ flea-ridden!"

Naruto grinned and it was visible, even from where Kiba sat.

"But you _are_ a mongrel."

He heard Hinata giggle and leaned back against the tree with his arms behind his head. Life was good.

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More months passed and it was now the next to last day of the school year. Naruto had been looking forward to and dreading this day, for good reason. It was the day he had to say goodbye to a mentor...

Gai stood before his pupil with a solemn look on his face. He'd taught the boy for years and now that he was taking a genin team of his own, he wouldn't have time for Naruto. As sad as it was, their time together was over.

"Naruto-kun, I have to say that our years together as sensei and pupil have been memorable. I got to have a hand in a future Hokage's training, got to see an ancient kekkei genkai reborn, and have learned much while I taught you. It has been a most youthful run."

Naruto smiled and nodded. He didn't trust his voice at the moment. He'd come far under Gai's tutelage and even though the man was weird, he would miss him. Gai noticed the wetness growing in the boy's eyes and decided to stem it before it got too bad.

"Come now, Naruto-kun, no tears. I'm not going away forever. This just marks the end of one facet of our relationship and the beginning of another. I look forward to the day we can have a match as fellow Konoha shinobi. By the time that happens, you will have learned more, become more experienced, become stronger, and we can have a truly youthful match."

Naruto nodded and wiped at his eyes. Gai knelt down to his level and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"My last request as your sensei, Naruto, is that you grant me one final spar, for old time's sake. My Goken versus your Kalaripayit. Let this be a precursor to our match in the future."

Naruto smiled and settled into his favorite position while Gai leapt away and landed in his Goken stance. The two stared at each other for a while before Gai rushed forward, kicking at Naruto's head.

Naruto ducked under the kick and pressed upward with his palm, gently knocking Gai's leg away. They weren't going all out, more like dancing with each other in a dance that had no set moves. They twirled and tumbled around each other, the dance becoming faster and faster, furiouser and furiouser until it could be called an all out battle. The two ran back and forth across the field, throwing punches and kicks left and right. All blows were blocked and it would have been considered a true fight if not for one simple fact.

Both of them had huge grins on their faces.

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Anko watched from the trees as the two maneuvered back and forth across the clearing. It was calming to watch them, the way they moved was perfect. Goken with its stiff, straightforward kicks and punches, Kalaripayit with its gradual increase of the power behind the blows and the fluid way that any and all attacks were avoided. She felt a weight land beside her and bowed her head when she recognized the white robes.

"Hokage-sama."

Sarutobi smiled at Anko and turned his head back to watch the fight.

"They're quite a pair aren't they? I wish Gai had waited to take a team, but he insisted on helping a certain boy that caught his eye. I had wanted for him to have Naruto on his team."

Anko watched the two swing away and thought out her words carefully.

"Hokage-sama…I would still like to take the boy under my wing. He's the only one I've ever found worth teaching."

Sarutobi watched the two in silence for a bit longer, listening to the wind whistle through the leaves of the tree.

"I'll…I'll consider it Anko. It's been my wish for him to follow tradition and be on a team. I'd still like for that to happen."

"Sometimes traditions don't work Hokage-sama. Sometimes, tradition must be broken so that new traditions can take hold."

Sarutobi turned to the woman and chuckled, getting a raised eyebrow. He coughed into his hand and straightened himself out.

"It's nothing Anko. I just find it hard to believe that something so philosophical came out of your mouth."

Anko growled and turned to where Gai and Naruto were bowing to one another in reverence, their final act as student and teacher done. She smiled slightly and sighed.

"Don't expect it to happen too often. That boy just brings out the best in me I guess…or the worst if you listened to him."

A chuckle came from beside her and she smiled softly, something that rarely happened.

"Please consider my offer. I think it would be beneficial for all parties."

Sarutobi nodded and leapt out of the tree, Anko following him as he began his trek back to the tower. He put his hands behind his back and turned to her.

"Anko…I want you to begin teaching him the ways of the assassin."

Her grin was so bright it could have lit up a city block.

**The last year of the academy starts next chapter. Let me know what you think.**


	13. Assassin in Training

And here's Chapter 13. Updates will still be slow for me, but faster than some of my fellow authors. Hope you enjoy. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...** I Am **_by Godsmack._

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

Naruto followed Sarutobi closely as he was lead to a place he'd never been before. Oh, he'd been in the general vicinity. Anko had taken him to the Forest of Death many times just to cut him up in private. Training Ground 44 was her own little sanctuary. Listening to her talk about the cute, fuzzy animals or the beautiful foliage made it sound like a zoo or the botanical gardens. Of course, that was not the case at all.

Anko's cute, fuzzy animals were cousins of Bengal tigers that were the size of freaking elephants. Her beautiful foliage could actually eat a man. Eat A Man! Needless to say, Naruto thought his eccentric sensei was more than a little off in the head.

He missed Gai already.

Sarutobi unlocked a gate that Naruto had never been shown before and the two went down a set of stairs into a stone walkway. Naruto noticed that there were lights only every so few feet, giving off a very creepy ambiance. He kept close to his grandfather, hoping that wherever he was being taken, they would arrive soon. Eventually, after walking for what seemed like forever, they reached a heavy steel door, which Sarutobi opened by channeling chakra into a seal.

As the door began to swing open, light filtered in around the edges until it opened fully, the glare from the sun letting them know they were back outside. Naruto rubbed his eyes, getting used to the brightness after being inside the tunnel. He looked around with bleary eyes to find Anko sitting on a large rock in the middle of a grassy field, eating dango and drinking red bean soup.

As his vision became more and more normal, he took a better glance at his surrounding. Not far in the background were the enormous trees of the Forest of Death. The field they were standing in was particularly peaceful and that alone bothered him. With Anko around, nothing was ever peaceful. He saw her hop off the rock and walk toward his grandfather, who had an eerie smile on his face to match hers.

Anko placed one foot in front of the other, swinging her hips as she walked, like she was on a model's runway. The leer she gave Naruto made him cringe inside, dreading what he knew was going to be an awful time. Sarutobi was starting to get a little hot under the collar and was starting to wonder if he'd made the right decision in entrusting Naruto to such a…woman.

Anko bowed to the Hokage and righted herself again to look at her pupil. Her smirk could have made a statue of marble wince. It was the same smirk that always promised pain for Naruto.

"Have you informed him of why he's here yet Hokage-sama?"

Sarutobi shook his head and motioned for Naruto to step forward. The blonde did so reluctantly, having no idea what he was in for. He took a deep breath and looked his sensei dead in the eye. Anko took note of this and smiled.

"Points for courage brat. Now, Hokage-sama, please inform him why we're all here."

Sarutobi coughed into his hand, getting Naruto's attention, and put his hands behind his back.

"Naruto, it is my decision that you will now begin to learn about the ways of the assassin from Anko. She will teach you everything she knows. Everything. You will learn how to kill properly and you will learn how to interrogate people. Your kekkei genkai makes you our most able assassin ever and you will have to embrace this role. I know you don't like to kill and that is good. Never enjoy it, but realize that it is an important part of your job. Your sessions with Anko will take precedence over all your other arrangements. This is your new assignment."

Naruto nodded and turned his attention back to Anko, who was uncharacteristically serious.

"All right Naruto. As Hokage-sama said, after school, you're mine. I'm going to show you everything there is to know about being an assassin. How to kill properly, how to leave no trace of your presence, how to get information out of a prisoner, how to be a proper assassin. I'm going to run you into the ground, and once I can't pound you into the ground anymore, you'll dig your own hole just to try to get away."

Naruto's eyes widened the more she explained and he turned to his grandfather to find him deadly serious. He was actually going to be an assassin. He didn't know what to think. His thoughts were broken by Anko snapping her fingers in front of his face.

"Wake up brat. Can't have you drifting off like that during training. Not all of our training will be physical. Oh, that'll be a big part of it, but we'll be doing mental training as well. My colleagues and I will be showing you how to keep your emotions in check on a mission. You don't have to be a cold killer, but you need to learn when to reign in your emotions."

She began to pace back and forth, never breaking eye contact with her student.

"I'm going to teach you how to eliminate your target with minimal evidence you were there. With your ability, you should be the most effective assassin ever. We're going to have to up your training with your kekkei genkai as well. You'll need to be able to melt in and out of your environment on a whim. That overgrown butterknife you carry? That's gonna get a workout as well."

Naruto's eyes were cutting back and forth as she paced, nervous as to how this would turn out. Anko stopped in front of him again and leaned down to eye level.

"You will do everything I say to perfection. I will expect nothing less from you. By the time this year is up, you'll be the best genin to ever come out of Konoha. We'll worry about best ninja when you can actually beat some of your senseis."

She smirked as she stood upright and put a hand on his head, ruffling his hair.

"Don't worry kid, we're gonna have a lot of fun. And if you're a good boy, maybe I'll give you a treat."

She disappeared suddenly and draped herself over his shoulders, tapping a kunai to her heartbeat on his cheek. Naruto grit his teeth and steeled himself. He wouldn't let her get to him. Anko took the kunai away and rubbed her cheek against his.

"Just think Naru-chan. For the next year, you're aaaalllll mine."

The blonde stifled a whimper and looked to his grandfather for help, only to find that the man had a slight nosebleed from the sight before him. Naruto narrowed his eyes. Time for some revenge. He shrugged his shoulders hard, ridding himself of Anko, and put his hands in the Ram seal.

"HEY JIJI! CHECK THIS OUT! OIROKE NO JUTSU!"

Sarutobi's clouded mind barely registered the words 'sexy jutsu' and he turned to the billowing cloud of smoke as Anko hopped back. His eyes widened to impossible degrees as he rocketed backward from his nosebleed. There was a fullgrown blonde woman with his grandson's whiskered cheeks, boobs of impossible proportions, naughty bits covered by the tiniest bit of smoke. Naruto struck a provocative pose and turned to Anko, blowing her a kiss.

"I told him I'd get him. He had that coming. Uh…what are you looking at?"

Anko was looking at him with a devilish glaze to her eye. She licked her lips and grinned savagely.

"I like you naked as a female. Very hot. But…I wonder…are you just as hot as a guy?'

Naruto made a choking sound and let the henge drop. Anko advanced on him quickly with her kunai at the ready.

"HOLD STILL AND LET ME CUT SOME CLOTHING OFF!"

"HELL NO!"

Anko missed a swipe and growled as Naruto dove headfirst for a tree and melted inside. She pounded on the bark for a while until Sarutobi laid a hand on her shoulder, his nosebleed and the evidence of it, miraculously gone.

"He's not here anymore Anko. He's more than likely already home. Let's call it a day."

Anko pouted like a two year old, but followed him toward the tunnel. Sarutobi glanced back over his shoulder with a stern look.

"Not one mention of what happened here today. I'll demote you to D-ranks for the duration of the year."

Anko pouted even more. She'd hoped to at least have a small bit of leverage against the old man with that little bit of knowledge.

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The following day came and went and Naruto found himself walking down that dimly lit tunnel to that field to meet Anko. He was excited to train with Anko but at the same time, he was scared stiff. This was his biggest step toward adulthood yet, and another huge step toward assuming his duty as the next Hokage. He channeled chakra into the seal on the door and closed his eyes as it slid open. Once the light had subsided, he could make out Anko sitting on the rock again. When she saw Naruto, she shunshined in front of him and stared down at him, once again any humor in her face gone.

"All right brat, listen up. No more games. No more teasing you. We're in this for real now. From this moment on, it's you and me. Some of the things I'm going to teach you will be hard to stomach, but I know you can handle it. Are you ready?"

Naruto straightened his backbone and nodded with determination. Anko kept up her stern look and motioned for him to follow her. She leapt onto the rock again and patted the place in front of her. Naruto sat down opposite her and crossed his legs. Anko looked off out into the forest, somewhat distant, before turning back to her student.

"Naruto…the path that has been chosen for you is hard. I know that Hokage-sama has told you this before, but the path of an assassin is especially hard. It's hard on the body and it's hard on the mind. Any of those who have been in ANBU can tell you this. It's how you decide to cope that determines how your life turns out."

Naruto nodded and raised his hand. Anko sighed as she slapped his hand down.

"This isn't school. Just ask your question."

"How do _you_ cope with ninja life?"

Anko put her finger to her chin and grinned maliciously.

"I embrace the blood. Instead of letting it get to me, I revel in it."

"Is that healthy?"

Anko shrugged and let the grin slide off her face.

"It's better than curling into a ball and mumbling to yourself in a padded room. My way isn't everyone's way Naruto. Gai copes by training himself to exhaustion. Kakashi, who I assume you've met, reads those little smutty books of his. My colleague, Ibiki, who you'll meet later, copes by letting his sadistic streak out on prisoners. We all cope in our own way."

Naruto sat in silence for a moment, before looking Anko in her eyes.

"How should I cope?"

"In whatever way leaves you with a smile on your face at the end of the day. Our way of life isn't easy Naruto. You've already taken a life. That's good. But…that was in defense of your mother. You've yet to take a life in the name of your village, because it was your job to do so. I'm going to change that though."

Naruto's eyes widened. Surely she didn't mean…

"You're not going to take me on a mission are you?"

Anko smirked as she stood up, beckoning him to do the same.

"Yes, I am. I've already cleared it with Hokage-sama as soon as I deem you ready. Now, let's start. We've got a long way to go. We'll start with that toothpick on your leg. Show me how you can handle it again."

Naruto drew his field knife and got into a strong stance, the blade forward. Anko repeated the gesture with a kunai and the two lunged forward.

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Naruto learned a lot in his time with Anko.

While during the day, he was your normal, attentive student (as normal and attentive as he could be), at night he trained to be the best of the best. Anko drilled everything into his head twice over. He knew the best way to a man's heart was not through the stomach, but in the most painful way possible, at least, according to Anko anyway.

Anko, to her credit, having never taught anyone before, was incredibly pleased with her student. They'd been at it nearly three months and she'd come to the conclusion that the boy was a natural. He just needed to be guided in the right direction. She nearly sighed when she thought back to how they'd started.

Naruto, being young, had thought that assassination required the use of cool moves and neck snaps. While true in some cases, Anko had broken him of those illusions quickly.

_"So…let's say that your target is in a room, guarded by four jounin level shinobi. He's asleep on his bed at the moment, totally dead to the world. Your mission is to eliminate him and then bring his head back as proof of the kill. How would you go about doing this job?"_

_Naruto thought for a moment before starting._

"_I guess I'd eliminate the guards first. Stab them through the heart and break their necks, something like that. Then I'd go in, kill the target, and cut his head off."_

_Anko glared at her charge and whacked him over the head several times with a magazine she'd been holding. _

"_No, no, no! Damn, Naruto, show a little bit more imagination. You have a kekkei genkai that would have made that easy and you never mentioned it once. I'm sure you intended to use it, but details are everything in assassination. Name some assassination moves."_

"_Ummm…ok. There's Inner Decapitation, stab through the heart, cut the neck, stab to the brain, sever the spinal cord, Chidori…"_

_Anko held her hand up, signaling for him to halt._

"_Stop. Never mention Chidori again as an assassination move."_

"_But…why? It's classified as an assassination move. It should be included."_

_She narrowed her eyes and glared at him._

"_Since you know the name of that move, I'll assume you know why it's called Chidori."_

_Naruto nodded in affirmation._

"_That's exactly why it shouldn't be called an assassination move. It's too damn noisy. Your target will hear you coming a mile away. That's nothing but a fancy elemental jutsu that Kakashi likes to flatter himself into thinking is used for assassination. His target has to be nearly completely immobile, his hidden Sharingan eye has to be active, and he needs a short moment to prepare the jutsu. To me, that's not very useful."_

_Naruto nodded slowly, letting the information sink in. Anko chose her next words carefully._

"_Not that it isn't a useful jutsu. It's just insulting to me as an assassin to have that move labeled as being in my line of work. By the time Kakashi is through posturing and making the hand signs, I could have already buried a kunai in the target's heart and began to cut his head off. I'm going to teach you how to kill the old fashioned way, with your kekkei genkai thrown in. If you can become an excellent shinobi without the use of jutsus, imagine what you could be when you use them when you have to."_

_Naruto's eyes widened at the thought and Anko decided to end the lecture there._

"_Glad you understand. I was getting tired of talking. Now let's go. I'm going to show the places where you can bleed a person out…by using you as an example."_

They'd covered a lot in such a small time. It helped that the boy was a sponge, soaking up literally everything she told him. And Anko had been true to her word. She'd shown him everything she could.

How to hold the knife properly when you went for the heart. How to cut and leave minimal evidence and blood loss. How to cut the head of a target off cleanly. How to kill without using any chakra at all.

Anko had drilled it all into him by using him as an example, or rather, his shadow clones. When the information came back to him upon their departure, he would nod to her and then proceed to mimic her over and over on his clones. It was strange in a way, killing yourself over and over, but it was necessary. Each time, he would get the information feedback and adjust the way the blade went in slightly, until it flowed in smoothly.

He'd learned quickly that there were certain things you just didn't do. Neck snapping was a quick way to kill someone, yes, but a trained ninja could hear the snap and come investigating. Then you were in trouble all over again. Stealth was silence, plain and simple.

Anko had given him the target situation again a few weeks later and Naruto had gone into more detail. He would bypass the guards with his kekkei genkai and come up underneath the target as they lay asleep. He would melt into the mattress and clap his hand over the man's mouth as he drove his field knife into his brain. The death would be silent and quick, with minimal blood loss. While the guards were still outside, he would cut the man's head off, seal it into a scroll, and melt back into the floor, leaving no trace.

Anko had never been more proud. The boy was finally showing promise in the field of killing. Practical application was the next step. But before that, she wanted him to know how to interrogate an enemy in the field, if information was required. Anko wanted her pupil to be so well-rounded that he'd put circles to shame. She'd decided that she would need Ibiki's help for this, since their approaches were so different.

It had been three months since Anko's declaration that he would learn the assassin life-style. He'd been living a double life, joking with his friends by day, learning the best way to kill by night. It had been hard, but he was coming along.

The two were currently in a dimly lit room watching as Ibiki worked over a ninja from Kumo that had been caught inside Konoha's borders. Anko held her hand on Naruto's shoulder to let him know that she was with him as he watched Ibiki pick the man apart.

Ibiki started by tying the man to a chair and forcing his head up as he asked all manner of seemingly inane questions. This was to make the man feel that Ibiki didn't know what he was doing, that he was green at interrogating. But Ibiki was planting seeds of doubt in the man, seeds that he would nurture and when they were ready, they'd eat the man from the inside out. He made prisoners doubt their own minds, made their brains work against them.

Naruto watched with interest as Ibiki tore the man's mind apart, leaving him a stuttering mess that spilled whatever information he knew. As the man was hauled away, Ibiki turned to his audience and smirked. The bear of a man put his arms behind his back and strode toward Anko and her new pupil.

"So brat…enjoy the show?"

Naruto looked up at the man, but he didn't grin like he usually would.

"I can't say it was something I'm used to Ibiki-san. You broke that man's mind."

Ibiki nodded and turned to Anko.

"Is Hokage-sama sure he's ready for this line of work?"

Anko shrugged, offering no real answer. Ibiki sighed and turned back to the whiskered blonde before him. It wasn't his job to question orders from the Hokage. His job was to follow them.

"Whatever. Now then, Naruto, I'm here to help Anko show you the finer points of interrogation. I know it's not a glamorous part of being a shinobi, but it is a necessary part and everyone has to do it at some point. I'm not of the crowd that believes we should shield our young shinobi from this fact, but I'm only one vote among thousands. You are going to be my flagship example of why we should introduce it earlier. When Anko and I are through with you, you'll be able to get information from almost anyone."

Naruto nodded, still not happy with the situation. Anko looked down at him and let out a groan.

"Look brat, Ibiki just told you it's a necessary evil. You don't have to enjoy it to realize that it has to be done. These assholes aren't gonna just give up the information voluntarily."

Naruto thought for a moment and glanced up at the two.

"What about the Yamanakas? They can enter a mind can't they? Wouldn't that be easier?"

Ibiki frowned and Anko snorted at that. Naruto wasn't happy that his idea was dismissed so easily. Anko decided to elaborate a bit more.

"We've tried that before brat. It's a good idea until someone with a strong mind comes along and overpowers the Yamanaka while they're inside the other's mind. We lost some good ninjas that way, valuable ninjas. It isn't worth the risk."

Naruto frowned and nodded. He hadn't thought of that. Ibiki saw this quickly going downhill and decided to get back on track.

"Look Naruto, you've seen my way of doing things. In a little while, Anko is going to show you her way. The trick is to make up your own way of getting information. It's just like any other facet of ninja training. You take what you learn and you make it your own. There is no set way to doing things. We might as well get this over with while you're here. Anko, tell them to bring in the next one."

Anko nodded quickly and bounced out of the room like a kid on a sugar high. Ibiki sighed and grabbed Naruto by the shoulder, maneuvering the boy to a different part of the room.

"My way is different than Anko's, as I've told you. I prefer to break the mind, she prefers to break the body. But, just because my way doesn't leave physical marks, doesn't mean I don't do damage that isn't irreparable. Bones can heal, minds can't. My way is actually more detrimental to enemy ninja. It just doesn't show right away."

Naruto nodded and watched as Anko came in humming happily with a man in tow. She shoved the man down in the chair and strapped him in. The man looked around the room and settled on Naruto's small form. He turned to Anko and growled.

"You people are sick, making a child watch this. He doesn't look old enough to even be a genin yet."

Anko just grinned as she laid out her weapons of choice. After several minutes she threw a kunai and it lodged itself into the man's shoulder. He winced and ground his teeth when Anko appeared before him and twisted the knife, a sickening grin plastered on her face.

"That is _my_ pupil over there by my colleague. He's here to learn how to do this properly, so that when the time comes, others won't have to. I appreciate you helping him learn. Now then, let's continue shall we?"

Naruto watched intently as she beat the man, cut the man, bled him. She used her snake summons to bite him, swell him up like a ballon and then drained him of the poison. By the time the session was over, Naruto was a bit green in the face, but he held firm and watched the entire procession. Ibiki couldn't help but be a little proud of the boy. Not many could stomach watching Anko work.

Anko wiped the blood off her kunai and dismissed her summons, before looking towards Naruto and found the boy still standing on his feet but wavering slightly. So, he hadn't thrown up? That was a good sign. He still looked sick though. She crossed the room and Ibiki left to tell the ninjas on duty to dispose of the man. He had spilled his guts, literally, of everything he had known about what his village was doing. Naruto had to admit, the two were good at what they did. He just didn't know if he would be…

His head snapped up to meet Anko's gaze when she laid her hands on his shoulders and for once she looked…genuinely proud of him. Anko smiled at him and bent down to his level.

"That was hard to watch, huh brat? Not as subtle as Ibiki, but I got the information and in the end, that's all that matters. I don't like mind games. I've had enough of those in my life. I'd rather take the straightforward way to get what I want. You don't have to take either of our paths. Like Ibiki told you, find your own."

Naruto nodded and took a deep breath to hold in his discomfort. Ibiki came back and patted him on the head.

"You did well Naruto. I guess having taken a life already gives you an edge above other kids in this area. We'll have you sit in on a few more sessions, take part in some, and then, when we think you're ready, we'll have you conduct your own."

"Will you supervise me?"

"Of course. We'll watch from the wall, but you'll conduct the interrogation. We'll only jump in if necessary."

Naruto was glad for that knowledge. At least he wouldn't be alone on his first time.

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Four months passed and Naruto had come far in all he was taught. His ability with his kekkei genkai was superb. He could go in and out of objects at will, move through solids at his full running speed and was, if Ibiki had his way, a shoo-in to take over for the man when he retired as the Head of Interrogation. Not that Naruto wanted it. He was already being groomed for other things as well, namely Hokage.

His friends at school were worried about him. He would come in looking dead tired and flop down in his chair, but by the time Iruka arrived, he would be attentive again. It was strange, but other than that life was normal. Hinata and Naruto had gotten over their embarrassing moment with the kiss and everything was right with the world.

Naruto was having a rare day off. Anko was off doing something besides torturing him, Asuma was on a date with someone, and Sarutobi had told him to take it easy. He had decided to look up his friends since it was the weekend and there was no school. Fortunately for him, they had decided to look him up instead…and they had a new addition in tow. Naruto blinked when he saw the fuzzy white thing running alongside Kiba.

The group came to a stop and Kiba beamed as his new friend leapt into his arms.

"Naruto, say hello to Akamaru. He's gonna be my partner from now on. Akamaru, this is Naruto."

The little pup jumped down and walked up to Naruto cautiously, one paw in front of the other and sniffed his leg before leaping back and barking at Kiba.

"Yeah, I know he smells like a fox. I don't know why, he just does. He's a cool guy though."

Naruto gave the dog-boy a blank stare and looked down at the now wagging puppy.

"Did you just…talk with your dog?"

"Yeah. So?"

Naruto knelt down and patted the puppy's head, making it lean into the touch.

"Nothing. I just didn't know you could do that. I know Kuromaru can talk, but Akamaru obviously can't. Just wanted to know how that worked."

Kiba shrugged and picked Akamaru up, setting him down on his head.

"Don't know. Same way Shino communicates with his bugs I guess. Just do. Now come on. It's the first weekend you've had off in ages from Hokage-sama and you can relax with us. We're gonna go eat at Ichiraku's to celebrate getting my ninken. How about it?"

Naruto grinned and stepped up beside Hinata and Shino, chatting with the two all the way to the restaurant while Shikamaru, Chouji, and Kiba joined in. Nothing could ruin his day.

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The group, now smaller because Chouji, Shikamaru, and Shino were dragged away reluctantly by their parents for other duties, sat enjoying the steamy goodness that was a bowl of Ichiraku's ramen. Kiba and Hinata kept up a small conversation while Naruto chugged unbelievable amounts of ramen, keeping Teuchi and Ayame quite busy in the kitchen.

Naruto was the happiest he'd been in a while. No prisoners to worry about torturing, no getting cut up to satisfy a certain sensei's bloodlust, no practicing till he dropped, just a laid back day spent with his friends. He was just about to suggest that they go do something else when Anko appeared in a poof of smoke, her eyes quickly settling on Naruto.

"Oh good, you're here! You, me, _now_! Come on, we gotta go!"

Before he could protest, she grabbed him by the arm and shunshined away. Kiba turned to Hinata and blinked.

"Is it just me or does that kid never have a say in what he does?"

Hinata sighed, sad that her friend was gone again. He probably wouldn't be back today and they wouldn't see him till the next class day. She giggled as Akamaru lapped up what Naruto had left in his bowl and stood to leave when they both heard a coughing noise and turned to find Teuchi with his arms crossed.

"And who's paying for all this?"

Kiba looked at Hinata and she had the same annoyed look he knew he was wearing. Both pretty much had the same thought.

'I'm gonna kill him…'

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Naruto finally regained his footing as they stopped inside the Hokage office. He glanced around quickly to find an ANBU, Ibiki, and his grandfather occupying the space. Sarutobi nodded to Anko and bade them stand at attention.

"Now then, time is of the essence. A prisoner has escaped who we believe may be working for the enemy. You four are to chase him down and stop him from leaving Fire Country. Use whatever means necessary but take him alive if possible."

Naruto looked around and found everyone's faces quite stern. Cautiously, he asked the question that kept tugging at the back of his mind.

"Sensei, why am I here?"

Anko grinned and clapped him on the back.

"This is that mission I was talking about brat. You're going to catch this guy and then you're going to interrogate him. If he can't be taken, you'll eliminate him. Plain and simple."

"But Anko-sensei, I'm not ready…"

"You're ready. You're more than ready. You've been ready for weeks. Now let's go. We've got a bit of ground to cover."

As the three adults turned to leave, Naruto shouted for them to wait.

"Hold on! I don't know anything about who we're chasing and what is an ANBU doing here?"

Sarutobi sighed and tapped his pipe. He should never have taught the boy protocol or mission parameters.

"The ANBU is here to help evaluate your skills Naruto. As for the person…I believe you'll have a vested interest in him."

Naruto cut his eyes to his grandfather.

"Who is it?"

"Mizuki."

A look of understanding slowly spread over Naruto's face. Mizuki was a dangerous person and psychotic as well. If he was working for the enemy, he had to be stopped. Naruto nodded and stepped back beside Anko. Sarutobi reached into his desk and pulled out a plain, blank ANBU mask and a dark cloak.

"Wear this Naruto. You're not an official ninja yet, so we can't have you being seen in any capacity."

Naruto took the mask and placed it over his face, before slinging the cloak over his shoulders, and turned to Anko. She took in how he looked and decided she liked it.

"Well brat? You ready?"

The mask bobbed up and down and she could feel his resolve steel itself.

"Hai sensei. I'm ready."

**The exciting stuff is next chapter. Sorry if this one felt a little talky but it was necessary to set up the rest of the story. See you next time, let me know what you think.**


	14. Psychological Warfare

And here's Chapter 14. I like this one. I really do. I hope you enjoy it to. Now that said, let me tell you, ONCE AGAIN, why updates are slower. I'm in the middle of purchasing a house. My schedule is all kinds of fucked up at the moment. I don't have a lot of spare time between work and other things (i.e. the house). I'm trying though. Just bear with me and everything will hopefully be back to normal once I get everything settled. No, I don't know how long it will take. Readers, Reviewers, thank you... **Be Like That**_ by 3 Doors Down._

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

Naruto followed the three superior ninja closely, his blank mask firmly in place and his new cape billowing behind him. Being the junior in a group of experienced ninjas made him very nervous, especially considering all three were there to help apprehend one man. Naruto had read the file on Mizuki before. The man was a high chuunin, low jounin level ninja, but had been passed up for the jounin rank because of 'mental issues'.

Anko noticed her pupil's silence and guessed he was brooding about what he was going to have to do. They were behind Mizuki by nearly a half a day, leaving them with a little time to plan. But it was now approaching nighttime and that would be a big boon. It helped that the man was in such a rush that he was leaving noticeable signs of where he was going. A broken twig here, a drop of blood there, a thread of clothing attached to a branch, the man left sign everywhere and the skilled ANBU who was with them followed the small trail like it was a freeway.

"Hey brat. Whatcha thinking about?"

Naruto cut his eyes over to her briefly, not that she saw it behind the mask. He took a leap onto another branch and kept up his pace while they spoke.

"I'm trying to think of how you want me to capture him without killing him. I have a few ways I can think of, but he might lose a limb."

Anko smirked and leapt lightly from branch to branch. Learning how to talk and tree hop at the same time was a skill vital to Konoha ninjas.

"Doesn't matter if he loses a limb, just so long as you get the information. Capturing him is the easy part Naruto. The hard part will be getting information from him."

The blonde nodded and turned his gaze back forward. Before he could retreat into his thoughts again, Anko's devious side struck.

"So…what's the deal with you, the Hyuuga, and the Yamanaka? You three got a little three way going on?"

Ibiki and the ANBU visibly perked up when they heard this, but kept their eyes on the path. Nothing like some teasing to lighten the tension. Anko grinned since she could practically feel the heat coming off of Naruto.

"Sensei! We're on a mission here! Try to be a little objective."

"Aw come on Naru-chan! Who's the better kisser? Who's got the better body? The world wants to know!"

"I'm twelve, you psycho!"

"But you're almost thirteen! You'll be thirteen not long before you graduate! Don't tell me you haven't already cut a pony from the herd!"

Ibiki and the ANBU landed in a small clearing not far ahead of them and Anko's smirk grew bigger when her charge wouldn't answer her.

"Naruto?"

Still no answer.

"So…you're not gonna tell me which girl you like better?"

Silence. Anko used her superior speed to get behind him and draped herself over his shoulders, one of her favorite positions to tease him from, as she rubbed her cheek against his.

"Or…are you saving yourself for little old me? Do you have a fetish for older women? I'd love to be the one to pop your cherry."

Ibiki and the ANBU chuckled when they heard the boy gurgle and decided to stop Anko before she began undressing the poor lad.

"Anko, Naruto, come over here. Mizuki isn't far ahead. He's been running all out for hours now and he's probably either stopped completely or is running slower. We've found no indication that he has soldier pills or that he ran across any travelers or other ninjas with supplies. We will assume he is armed though and he has his jutsus though he should be about out of chakra. He is more than likely hungry and his thinking and reactions will be sluggish."

The ANBU looked from one face to the other and noted with some surprise that Naruto didn't look confused in the slightest. The rumors that the boy was somewhat mature beyond his years was not unfounded. The ANBU blinked behind his mask and focused on Naruto.

"We didn't have much time to prepare you for this mission. In truth, we could have taken a few moments to let you go and get some gear. But…this is part of your appraisal. You'll be placed in situations sometimes where you'll have nothing but your hands. Luckily, you carry your field knife with you at all times, so you have that. That's all you'll have this go-around. Your mission is to subdue the enemy without killing him. You'll have to interrogate him later."

Naruto nodded and fingered the hilt of his knife, comforting himself with the way the leather felt against his fingertips. He just couldn't wrap his mind around what he was about to do.

"ANBU-san…I'm not even a genin yet and Mizuki is a high chuunin level ninja. All I have is my field knife…"

Anko frowned at her student and whacked him in the back of the head.

"You also have personal training from the best ninjas in the village, a kekkei genkai that nearly guarantees success, and a mind that will allow you to plan this through. You have every weapon you need. You'll do fine Naruto. We'll be just on the perimiter, watching you. If anything goes wrong, we'll jump in and stop it."

The blonde settled down noticeably after that and began to plan ahead for what he was going to do. The ANBU stiffened suddenly and nodded to Ibiki.

"The Kage Bunshin I sent ahead has confirmed that Mizuki is a mile away, hiding in a cave that goes back about fifty feet. He has set a few rudimentary traps around the entrance to alert him to any pursuers and has somehow procured a few shuriken and kunai, from the looks of things."

The white mask that the blonde was wearing bobbed up and down at the report. Anko and Ibiki stayed quiet during the talk. This was Naruto's show, to run as he saw fit.

"Did the clone see how Mizuki himself looked?"

"He was huddled in a far corner, drifting in and out of sleep I believe. It was hard to tell in the dark. You can tell he's fatigued though, because his traps, though crude, were poorly and hastily laid. He shouldn't be much trouble for you.

"Thank you ANBU-san. If you can create a clone to lead me to the cave, I'll begin extraction."

Anko blinked, surprised at her student's professional tone. She could only hope and pray that things would go smoothly. With Mizuki as tired as he was, it shouldn't be too hard and then Naruto could make his first interrogation. She could only imagine what his methods would be. Ibiki shook her from her thoughts and motioned for her to follow him. They followed the ANBU to just outside the cave and waited for the fireworks.

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Naruto wordlessly followed after the ANBU's shadow clone, weaving through the brush like a ghost. The clone never once looked back and when it got to the edge of the clearing around the cave, it turned to Naruto and bobbed its head in a nod, before dispelling itself. Naruto took his knife out of its scabbard and closed his eyes, before melting into the ground slowly.

He opened his eyes to the black and white world of the Melt, the sensations that came along with it assaulting his senses, but he quickly got them back under control. He saw the traps Mizuki had set up and shook his head. It wasn't becoming of a ninja of Mizuki's caliber to set up such slipshod traps.

What confused him was the fact that there was more than just Mizuki's tracks present. He hadn't been told that there was more than one man they were pursuing.

He moved through the ground slowly, cautiously approaching his prey. He was becoming more and more exicted by the minute and that reflected on the thoughts of the demon inside him.

…**.**_**yesssss**_**…the hunt…the chase…the thrill…**_**the blood**_**…**

Naruto was too excited himself to even pay attention to the Kyuubi's ramblings. He was caught in the moment, all fear gone, the adrenaline kicking in. This was what was expected of a Konoha ninja, to kill in the name of the village so that your friends and family would be safe. That thought steeled his resolve. He wouldn't ever let an another incident like the one with his mother happen if he could help it.

And if eliminating these missing nins was part of that, then so be it.

He maneuvered through the ground until he came to the stone of the cave and moved through the new material seamlessly. He and Anko had done extensive work on being able to move through substances without stopping and the fruition of their efforts showed here. Naruto moved to the roof of the cave and observed his quarry.

Two men were asleep beside a small fire while one sat on watch for the hunter nins. They were all obviously tired and the one on watch kept nodding in and out of sleep. Naruto weighed his options and began to move to the top of the cave. He had had information deliberately kept from him. If it weren't for the fact that he was undectable while using his kekkei genkai, he would have been killed by the three men probably.

This was a test for him though and he had to pull through. He couldn't disappoint his grandfather and all his senseis after all the work they'd put into him. Mizuki was to be taken alive if possible and the other two were expendable. Naruto shuddered as he thought of that word…expendable. Like they were items to be used and thrown away.

…**humans in general are expendable…**

Naruto was halfway convinced by now that the Kyuubi couldn't really converse with him and that he was picking up the beast's random thoughts. He could be wrong…but he wasn't about to try to make contact with the thing.

Now he had to think how he would go about this. He couldn't just go in and capture Mizuki while he eliminated the other two…or could he?

Naruto formed six clones and sat down crosslegged to discuss strategy with them.

"Ok look. I need two of you to take out the unknown ninjas. Quiet, just like Anko-sensei taught us. I want them to feel as little pain as possible, so I want you to put your knives through their brains. Just…try to be humane."

Two of the clones nodded and Naruto turned to the rest.

"I want you all to focus on Mizuki. We have to take him alive so subdue him and I'll run damage control. Remember, if we eliminate the other two first, it's for the better. We don't know what they're capable of so they have to go. All right, let's do this."

The clones nodded and watched as Naruto melted into the stone before following suit. The blonde in the white mask watched as his doppelgangers moved into position and waited for the moment to strike.

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Months working with his kekkei genkai had yielded very fruitful results. Having nothing to go on, it was like building a model from the ground up with no instructions. You put a piece here, see if it fits, and if it does, go with that. They'd found out that not only was Naruto faster in the ground and able to melt into virtually anything, but his clones could melt as well as he could, albeit at a slower pace. It was still extremely useful…and potentially deadly to the enemy.

The only thing they hadn't ventured into was trying to melt into and with other humans. Naruto didn't want to think about what might go wrong and Anko wasn't willing to let him experiment on her if something_ did_ go wrong. He could understand that, but the possibilities!

His clones were in postion and Naruto forced his arm down, signaling for them to begin. One of the clones moved toward the upright man while another went to the sleeping ninja. At the same time they melted out of the ground.

The man who was on guard had been dozing lightly when he felt a hand clamp around his mouth and his eyes opened just in time to stare into the fire before light burst into his vision and everything faded to black. There had been a slight twitch in his temple and everything bled black. The clone had clapped a hand over his mouth before jamming the field knife in the man's head and twisting.

The sleeping man never even woke up or noticed that he had been killed. The clone jammed the knife directly into his ear, killing him instantly. The man had met the Shinigami without ever knowing how in the hell he had gotten there.

Naruto melted out of the ground slowly, the cloak around him giving him an amorphic shape, his white mask yielding nothing about his expression. The sight behind the mask would have given anyone pause, as the usually cheery blonde's face was frozen in a grimace of acceptance. He didn't want to do this, but he had to.

The clones that had killed the men stepped behind him and watched as their fellow clones melted out of the ground and knelt beside each of Mizuki's limbs. They turned their blank masks to Naruto and he gave them a single nod to start. They turned back to the man laying spread-eagle on the floor and two grabbed his ankles, while the other two grabbed his hands so he couldn't perform any jutsus.

Mizuki felt his hands being clasped and leapt to his feet. The clones let him stand before the two behind Naruto ran forward and slammed their shoulders into Mizuki's torso, throwing him against the wall and holding him there while the others melted into the wall, effectively nailing him to the stone behind him, in a crucifix position.

Mizuki's eyes were wide and he was now fully awake and aware of the bodies holding him. He looked across the dimly lit cave to see the small figure that stood unmoving, its features hidden by the cloak and mask. His breath caught in his throat when he realized what had happened.

ANBU.

His gaze darted around until he found his cohorts lying on the ground and slumped against the wall, both dead with wounds to the brain. This _person_, for he did not know who it was, had snuck into the cave, evaded their traps, and killed his cohorts without waking any of them. He did the only thing he could think of.

He screamed.

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Anko, Ibiki, and the ANBU heard the shrill scream and immediately rushed into the cave, skimming over all the crude traps. Anko was the first one in and was just in time to hear Naruto growl exasperatedly.

"Would you _please_ shut the hell up?"

Mizuki didn't have time to answer before Naruto flipped his blade over in his hand so that it was held backwards and jammed the hilt forward right into Mizuki's forehead, knocking him out cold. His body went limp in the clones' arms and Naruto turned to the entrance.

"About time you three showed up. You could have told me that there were two more guys."

Anko winced at the coolness of the boy's voice. It was a tone that didn't suit Naruto and she knew he was trying to maintain his composure. He just didn't like to kill, even though he had done so beautifully. The two lying in steadily widening pools of blood were evidence that the boy had talent.

"Naruto, this was a test. Albeit, a hastily thrown together test, but a test of your skill nonetheless. You only have one more part to complete. Can you do it?"

The blank mask swung to Ibiki and he gazed back at the boy as if disinterested. He had to know if the boy could go through with his…initiation.

Naruto looked toward where Mizuki was held against the wall and sighed. Anko walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Do you want to go back to Konoha and take some time before the interrogation?"

Naruto shook his head and shrugged her hand off as he turned to face Mizuki.

"No. Better to do it here while I still have the nerve to do it."

Anko stepped back to Ibiki and the ANBU. She couldn't guess what her protégé would do.

Naruto grimaced behind his mask and took a few deep, calming breaths. He'd need all his nerve to do this, all of his wits. Any mistakes could be disasterous. He couldn't afford to slip up. Without turning around, Naruto queried to the ANBU.

"What do I need to find out?"

"Mizuki has been involved in…questionable acts…for many years now. We need to know who he is working with and anything else you can figure out."

Naruto nodded and turned back to the man pinned to the wall. His clones simply stared at him as he walked forward. Once he stood before Mizuki, he cocked his fist back…

…**make him feel pain…**

…and slugged Mizuki in the jaw as hard as he could. The silver haired man's eyes fluttered and he slowly raised his head. He couldn't figure out why he couldn't move his arms until he looked to the side and found his body held to the wall by…hands that came out of the wall and two clones of the man before him. He started to scream again when the cloaked figure appeared in front of him and clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Quiet. Do not scream. I have questions to ask you and you will answer them. If you answer my questions to my satisfaction, I will speak to the Hokage about lessening your sentence."

He removed his hand from Mizuki's mouth and the man glared at the white mask, having regained his composure.

"I don't believe that for a second. Like a nameless ANBU has any pull with the Hokage."

Naruto reached his hand up to his mask slowly.

"A nameless ANBU having pull with the Hokage…no. But…"

He pulled the mask all the way off and threw the hood back, revealing who he was to his one time sensei.

"…the grandson of the Hokage…yes. Now then, let's talk."

Mizuki snarled and lurched against his captors, yielding no results.

"Damned demon! Even here you torment me! You should be dead, you should have died when you were sealed!"

"I'm not the demon. It is sealed. Now then, my questions…"

"I'm not telling you anything demon. You worthless piece of filth. All my supposed crimes against Konoha are nothing compared to yours. I owe you and the village that turned its back on me NOTHING!"

Naruto smacked the man in the mouth, keeping that emotionless look on his face. It was hard to keep it up, but the more Mizuki talked, the less he cared about the man's welfare. Interrogating a man that he loathed made torturing him all the more…satisfying.

…**if he won't talk, make him bleed…**

Naruto grit his teeth and shook his head. He didn't need the Kyuubi speaking up now. He needed to concentrate.

"You'll tell me who you are working with and why. You'll tell me what I want to know…or I will make you wish for death."

Mizuki sneered and spit in Naruto's face. The three older ninjas watched unflinching. This was the usual back and forth that most went through. Very rarely would an enemy crack at the beginning. A very loud growl cut through the silence and Anko shuddered, making the other two turn to her as she whispered lowly.

"Kami…I hate it when he does that…"

The ANBU watched as Naruto bared his fangs and advanced on Mizuki again. He had to admit, the boy got points for intimidation and enthusiasm. If things persisted in this way for very long though, he would have to call him off.

"How does he do that? Does he massage the throat with chakra? And can it be taught?"

Anko shook her head and watched as Naruto grabbed Mizuki by the throat.

"It's a natural thing. He doesn't use chakra to make that noise. It's been confirmed by Hyuugas. We think it's a defense mechanism from having the Kyuubi, kind of like his fangs. Scares the hell out of the people when he does it though."

Naruto slammed Mizuki's head back against the wall and gripped the man's forehead tightly forcing him to make eye contact. Mizuki was scared stiff after that growl. It only confirmed that the boy was indeed the Kyuubi.

…**fear. The fear is so tasty…**

"Tell me what I want to know or I'll make you wish that the Shinigami would come to claim you."

"D…demon!"

Naruto slammed his fist to the left of Mizuki's head, leaving an imprint in the rock. He was tiring of mindgames. No wonder Anko preferred the direct approach.

"I'll make you wish I _was_ the demon. Who are you working with?"

"I'm…I won't tell you anything."

Naruto could see that Mizuki was breaking. Time to pull out some more stops. So…the man was afraid of Kyuubi huh?

Well, he'd give him Kyuubi.

Naruto stepped back from Mizuki and cracked his neck. This might break the man's mind, but…he wouldn't know until he did it. Naruto's hands sunk into his cloak and he subtly made the sign for Kage Bunshin. One burst into existence and Naruto bade it come closer, so he could whisper into its ear.

"Get behind me and henge into a smaller version of the Kyuubi. Then, while the smoke obscures the vision, I'll melt into the ground. You act as it would."

The clone nodded and moved behind him to do as it had been told while Naruto turned back to Mizuki.

"If you think I am the demon, then who am I to try to change your mind? I'll give you what you see. I'll give you your demon. Just remember Mizuki, you could have done it the easy way."

The clone behind him performed the henge and as the smoke covered him, Naruto melted into the ground. When the smoke cleared, it revealed a snarling, frothing Kyuubi in miniature form advancing slowly on Mizuki, one inch at a time. The silver-haired man began to shake violently and struggled against the clones, but to no avail.

"No! NO! Damn you all! Stop him, he's let the demon loose!"

…**yes. Fear truly worthy of gazing upon my visage, even in a smaller form…**

The three senior ninja stood silently, amazed that Naruto would use such an underhanded tactic as to prey on the man's fear. Anko was both proud of her pupil…and sad that he had taken to her profession so well, even against his better judgment. It seemed the boy truly had no say in what his life would lead him to.

Naruto watched from the ground as Mizuki began to rant and rave. He promised to tell them anything they wanted to know, as long as they would take the Kyuubi away, seal it away again. In the pit of his stomach, Naruto felt sick. He had preyed on a man's fear to get information. But it had to be done…in the name of Konoha…

Mizuki cried and pled as the clone advanced ever so slowly until Naruto melted out of the ground in front of the fox look-alike.

"Dispell yourself. Your job is done."

The fox looked Mizuki dead in the eye and waved its tails widely before a huge grin split its face. The man whimpered and looked to Naruto for mercy.

"Please…I'll tell you whatever you want to know…just don't let him near me again."

"Tell me what I want to know."

Mizuki told him everything. That he had been marked by Orochimaru, that he had planned to steal the Forbidden Scroll before he left but the security was too tight, that he had killed teammates before for being weak. The more Naruto listened to the man, the more his pity and loathing for the man grew. Mizuki was a pawn, who knew nothing. He didn't know where Orochimaru was or any of the man's plans. Mizuki had been mentally disturbed but no one had reached out to help him. He had been jealous and greedy for power, by any means necessary.

Naruto closed his eyes, afraid to open them for fear of seeing Mizuki's face.

"One last thing Mizuki. Why do you hate me?"

There was no hesitation in his answer.

"Because you're a demon."

Naruto opened his eyes and turned to the three behind him, the ANBU in particular.

"Is that enough?"

The ANBU nodded once and Naruto stepped forward to Mizuki and drew his knife.

"Your crimes against Konoha are heavy Mizuki. There is only one punishment for your transgressions."

Mizuki started to scream when he saw Naruto heft the knife, but before any sound escaped his lips, cold steel had imbedded itself into his throat. Naruto watched the man gurgle and eventually his eyes went blank, signifying his death. Without a word, Naruto dispelled his clones and turned to go outside, not paying attention as Mizuki's body hit the ground with a thump.

"Death."

…**a kill to be admired and proud of…**

Anko reached out to him as he passed by.

"Naruto?"

He didn't say a word as he brushed past her. Anko looked to Ibiki for help.

"Go talk to the brat. He needs someone right now. It was his first real time…and he did it beautifully. We'll take care of the cleanup."

Anko nodded and started to chase after the boy, but retrieved his knife first. Naruto always felt better with his knife in his hand and it might comfort him now. She didn't have to look far. He was sitting on top of the cave entrance, about twenty feet up. She leapt into the air and landed beside him.

"Here's your knife kiddo. You did good back there. I think the ANBU was impressed."

Naruto said nothing, just stared out into darkness with his arms wrapped around his knees.

"Naruto, you did what had to be done. Hokage-sama will be so proud of you."

He still said nothing and she saw tears forming at the corner of his eyes. Anko sighed and sat his knife down beside her before she enveloped the boy in a hug.

"Come on Naruto, just let it out. I won't tell anyone."

And he cried. And he wailed. And he bawled. Anko just held him with her eyes closed. This was perhaps the first time that a man had gotten this close to her without getting his throat slit…and the only person who had ever been close to her chest. She might be a tease, but Anko was picky about her men…and no one had ever been good enough.

She waited until Naruto's sobs quieted down and he settled into small sniffles and hiccups. He finally began to shift out of her grip but she kept her arm around his shoulder.

"So…ready to talk about it?"

Naruto shifted around, getting more comfortable in her hold.

"I…I can't believe I did that Anko-sensei. I preyed on that man's fears and broke his mind. I killed him. I could see the fear in his eyes as I took his life. Am I a monster?"

Anko squeezed him tightly and forced him to look her in the eyes.

"Listen to me Naruto. Listen good. You're not a monster. Everyone has told you this many times over the years. You did what you did in the name of Konoha, as a ninja of Konoha."

"There's one problem with that sensei. I'm _not_ a ninja of Konoha yet."

The two were silent after that. It was true, Naruto wasn't a ninja yet. But he had the heart of one. He had gotten past the most difficult stage as best he could. So what if he broke down and cried? He was just a boy. Now, he was more.

"I can hear it sensei."

Anko looked down to her student and squeezed him tightly.

"Hear what brat?"

Naruto smiled softly at that nickname. It comforted him somewhat.

"The Kyuubi. It was speaking while I interrogated Mizuki. It said my kill was something to be admired and something to be proud of."

Anko stiffened and her grip loosened slightly.

"…it talks to you?"

Naruto nodded and turned his eyes to the ground.

"Does the Hokage know?"

Naruto nodded again.

"Yeah, but I don't talk back to it. I don't acknowledge it. I refuse to. I won't let it influence me."

Anko grinned and stood up, dragging the blonde up with her.

"I'm proud of you brat and I'm sure everyone else is as well. Let's go home. And remember to clean your knife off. Blood leaves stains otherwise."

Naruto smiled sadly and wiped the blade off on his pantsleg. Eventually, everything would be all right.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sarutobi stared at everyone in his office, the three ninja and the lone academy student.

"Report."

The ANBU gave a very detailed report of the proceedings, with everyone else chiming in at the appropriate time. The only one who remained silent was Naruto.

"Naruto, I've heard all that your superiors have to say. Do you have anything to add?"

The blonde slowly let his vision settle on his grandfather.

"All I want is to just enjoy the rest of the schoolyear with no more missions, no more paperwork, no more hardcore training. Let me be a normal student for the rest of the year. Please Jiji."

Sarutobi nodded his head in understanding. If anyone deserved a break, it was Naruto. Not even a full-fledged ninja yet, and already fulfilling his duties in the name of the village.

"Very well Naruto. I agree to that. Consider yourself on leave from your duties. You'll still need to keep your skills sharp though, so Anko will help you on her off days."

Naruto nodded and bowed to his grandfather.

"Can I be dismissed now? I'd really like to rest."

Sarutobi nodded.

"I'll see you at home later Naruto."

Once the boy was gone, Sarutobi folded his hands and leaned on the desk.

"Now, tell me your unbiased opinions without the boy here. No sugarcoating."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Eri had been waiting up for Naruto for what seemed like hours, Yahiko trying to keep her calm. They'd been through several pots of tea already, but nothing seemed to settle her nerves. When she heard the door slide open, her head flew up and she gasped when she saw her son.

Naruto was the epitome of a broken child. Gone was her innocent son. In his place, was a shinobi who wasn't even yet a shinobi. She wrapped him in a hug, ignoring the blood on him. She didn't have to ask what had happened. It had already been explained to her beforehand.

"Mom…can I sleep with you and dad tonight? Just this once?"

She smiled down at him and kissed the top of his head.

"Of course son. Just this once."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto showed up at school like nothing had happened. He had talked it over extensively with his father and grandfather, with Anko and Ibiki standing by, and had come to terms with what he had done. Anko had told him to find something to help him cope and he was currently searching. He'd find something soon enough. He had to…or he'd go crazy.

He'd paid Kiba and Hinata back for the ramen and apologized. He'd played Shikamaru in a game of go and lost. He'd swapped chips with Chouji and caught bugs with Shino.

He'd played the good student. He'd beaten Sasuke down in every battle they had. He had been genial with Ino and was starting to let her in a little more, much to her delight.

He was starting to notice a subtle difference in the girls around him, most notably Ino and Hinata. They seemed to be…developing. Anko still teased him about a possible threeway.

Naruto had found how he could cope for the time being. He threw himself into his life. He relished in his friends and family. He watched as Konohamaru got his own private tutor, a nice man by the name of Ebisu, who was indifferent to Naruto at best. Naruto just shrugged the man off. He wasn't his sensei after all.

His thirteenth birthday had come and gone with no incident. His family had gotten him a custom tailored cloak to work with his kekkei genkai. Anko had promised to try to get him as her apprentice. Gai had not been able to come, being out on a mission with his team, but had sworn to make it up. Naruto couldn't believe he hadn't met his old sensei's team yet.

He kept shy of Sasuke and his little fanclub if possible. He got closer to Hinata when possible. He was trying to work up the courage to ask her on a small date, just something simple. His mother insisted the two looked so cute together. Naruto just thought Hinata was nice.

It had been a good few months and now it was one week from graduation and Naruto was sitting in the Hokage's office, chatting with his grandfather and Anko.

"I've been trying to decide who will be on teams, but I need help. Naruto, I want you to help me decide who should be divided amongst who. Your old academy sensei Kurenai has recently become a jounin and has requested a team to ease into her new title. She, Kakashi, and your uncle Asuma are all viable candidates for teams."

Naruto looked at the list of names and the team assignments. When he got to his name, he froze.

"Why am I paired with Uchiha Sasuke?"

Anko slammed her hand on the table in anger.

"I thought he was going to be my apprentice?"

Sarutobi leveled a glare at the two and the killing intent he let out nearly suffocated them.

"Be quiet you two. I won't have such insubordination, especially from you two. Anko, I never promised to make him your apprentice. The boy needs to learn team dynamics. You may still teach him on the side."

Anko's shoulders sagged, visibly crushed by the decision. She'd been looking forward to being a proper sensei. Not even being allowed to help could cushion the blow. Sarutobi felt bad about his decision but turned to an angry Naruto.

"Sasuke needs someone to be a rival to him. He needs someone to measure himself against. You are that someone."

Naruto looked at his grandfather in exasperation.

"Jiji, haven't you read the psychology reports on Uchiha Sasuke? He hates me and he only wants power. Putting the two of us together is a volatile situation just waiting to happen. I won't do it."

"You will do as I say Naruto. I need someone I can trust to keep an eye on that boy. I may be your grandfather, but here, in this office, I am your ruler and superior. What I say goes."

Naruto glared at his grandfather. He was tired of being told what to do.

"No. I won't be on his team."

Sarutobi's scowl could have lit his desk on fire.

"What did you say to me boy?"

"I won't be on his team. This idea is stupid Jiji, especially for one of your intelligence. It won't work. I'll kill him the first week. And Kakashi as our sensei? The man doesn't care two whits about me. He'll spend all his time with Sasuke because they share the Sharingan. Sakura? She hates me because Sasuke does and…the team dynamic just isn't there, Jiji. You may as well just put me with Anko-sensei. At least she and I get along."

Anko smirked at the boy's counterpoint but Sarutobi would not be swayed.

"You will be on that team and that is final. My word is law Naruto. You will do as I say. Tradition has the Hokage on a team of three and then you will take a team of your own when the time comes."

Naruto stalked to the door. He could have melted out of the office but he really felt like slamming something at the moment. He turned to his grandfather with fire in his eyes.

"Tradition, tradition. It's always tradition with you_ Hokage-sama_. I guess it was really traditional to seal a demon in a godddamn baby's stomach as well. Fuck tradition."

Sarutobi hollered out as the door slammed.

"You watch your mouth boy!"

The slam was deafening and he slumped back in his chair, looking at Anko.

"He's picked up your language I see."

Anko merely glared at the Hokage. She'd get her word in as well.

"Like I said before Hokage-sama, traditions have to be broken sometimes for the good of all. The boy asks for so little. Don't make him suffer just to make someone else's life easier."

She bowed to the man and left, a lot quieter than her pupil. Sarutobi looked at the picture of the Yondaime and sighed.

'Minato, what should I do? The Uchiha is a flight risk, the psychologist said so. I need Naruto to watch him since he's the only one I can trust. But…his happiness and growth is at stake as well. What should I do?'

That thought plagued him for a couple of days until he made his decision.

He would do what was best for…

**Ooo...the power of youth compels me to leave you with cliffhangers. I suck, I know. Let me know what you think.**


	15. Compromise

And here's Chapter 15. Last chapter got over 130 reviews in _one day._ That's a new best for me. Hope you like this chapter. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...**Run Through the Jungle**_ by Creedence Clearwater Revival._

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

Both.

Sarutobi had decided he would compromise and do what was best for both. It wouldn't be what all sides wanted, but that's what a compromise was. An agreement between two parties that left them partially satisfied but wanting more.

Anko wanted Naruto as a student, but he couldn't give her that. What he could do was give her access to him on a limited basis so his training as an assassin could be supplemented.

Naruto didn't want to be on the team of a boy that hated and had sworn to kill him, a girl who could care less about him, and a teacher who didn't care for him one way or the other. So he would refix the teams according to the graduation standings. It was still traditional and sated his needs as well.

Konoha's needs were that Uchiha Sasuke be watched like a hawk. Satutobi felt a talk with Hatake Kakashi was in order. If the boy showed any signs of stepping out of line, he wanted him brought back in place. If Naruto refused to watch him, then Kakashi would have to do.

Sarutobi lit his pipe again and leaned back in his chair. He had sent for Naruto and Anko over an hour ago and they would soon be along. He could always count on those two to be prompt at least. Neither of them had spoken to him since the incident almost four days ago and considering he saw Naruto at home, that hurt.

It amazed him sometimes how his job came between him and his family. He and Asuma had had a falling out over Asuma's leaving for the Guardians and it had taken years for them to talk again. Hell, they were still getting used to being cordial with one another. He didn't want that with Naruto. He'd alienated the boy enough as it was.

He blew a ring of smoke into the air and watched as it dispersed in the waft of the air duct. He had all but obliterated his grandson's childhood, making the child fight for any scrap of normalcy he could. He'd introduced the boy to the darker side of shinobis before he was even a shinobi. Perhaps…he had taken his job too seriously. It had always been Konoha first, family second.

It was his job to be Hokage right now, not Naruto's. That would come later. It was his responsibility to shoulder the burden of the office and all that it held. He only wanted what was best for everyone…but had forgotten that Naruto was still a child and while he was mature, he still maintained a childish innocence in some respects.

It was only right that the boy be allowed to have a small measure of happiness by being on a team that could tolerate him at the very least. Putting him with Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi was a bomb waiting to go off…and Naruto himself would likely be the fuse.

It was true that Uchiha Sasuke had openly declared that he would kill Naruto once he had killed Itachi and that was not to be taken lightly. Naruto certainly didn't take it lightly and if push came to shove…well…the boy had killed already. And a death threat on a ninja of Konoha was a serious charge.

Sarutobi turned his chair to look out the window to the Hokage Mountain and sighed heavily. His predecessors stared back at him impassively and he could almost feel Minato scowling at his village in contempt of how his son had been treated. Not that Sarutobi could blame him. He was only grateful that Minato and Kushina weren't here to evoke their wrath upon the people.

A knock at his door heralded the arrival of his appointment for the evening, Anko and Naruto. He bade them enter and listened to the shuffle of their feet as the walked and stood before his desk. Without turning around, he asked if they knew why they'd been called.

"No Hokage-sama."

Sarutobi winced at the cool chill of Naruto's voice. It was time to face the music. He spun his chair and stared at the two, his pipe clenched in his teeth.

"Both of you sit. We have much to discuss."

The two sat down with no ceremony, staring straight ahead, like good soldiers. Sarutobi rose from his seat and walked to his door, sticking his head out and calling to his secretary.

"No one is to enter this room. I don't care what the emergency is, _no one_ is to enter here. Understood?"

The secretary nodded her head fearfully and breathed in relief when the door latch clicked. She felt sorry for the two who were inside.

Sarutobi flipped through some handsigns and soundproofed the room before walking back to his chair. He noted that his guests still hadn't looked anywhere but straight ahead and that saddened him. He only hoped he could repair some of the damage he'd caused.

"Anko, Naruto, I wish to speak to you about the other day. What I'm about to do does not leave this office and it is not often I say it to anyone."

Anko and Naruto's eyes widened as Sarutobi stood from his chair and bowed to the two of them.

"I'm sorry. I have been a Hokage to you Naruto, but not a grandparent in my decisions. Anko, I have neglected you as well. Naruto has been a good influence on you in your time together and I have failed to see that until now. I want to apologize for my actions the other day."

Anko immediately stood and bowed to her leader.

"Hokage-sama…"

"No Anko. Don't apologize. What you said the other day needed to be said. Take your seat and we'll talk this out rationally."

"But Hokage-sama…"

"No. Now sit and we'll talk about what I've decided."

Anko sat down, still bewildered and Sarutobi turned to a somewhat disgruntled Naruto.

"You have something you wish to say Naruto?"

"Not really. I believe the word 'compromise' is going to be implemented here and that means that I'm only going to be partially satisfied with your decision."

Sarutobi sighed and glared at Anko when she smirked.

"I knew having your father teach you logic and politics was a bad idea for one so young. You're right of course. I can't give you both what you want. Anko, you're too important in the role you fill now to devote your time to Naruto. The best I can offer is to let you take him with you think it's a mission he can handle or if it's an enemy you think he can crack."

Anko's smile turned into a frown, but she accepted it as graciously as she could.

"If that's the best you can do Hokage-sama, then that's the best you can do I guess. I'm not happy about it."

"Duly noted. I'm sorry Anko, it truly was the best I could do. I hope my apology was at least some consolation. I can't do that in front of anyone but you two. It wouldn't do to have a commander appearing biased."

She nodded her head and listened intently to see what would become of her pupil.

"Naruto…I'm not going to put you on a team with Sasuke. But you will still be on a team. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. This is one of the few compromises I've ever made in my tenure as Hokage, Naruto, and it shouldn't be taken lightly. Since you have thrown my previous plans out of whack, I think it is only appropriate that you help me make up the new teams."

Naruto stared at Sarutobi hard, not knowing where this was going.

"Why would you let me do such a thing? Wouldn't that show some bias on my part toward my friends?"

"Yes and no. I'm going to greenlight what you pick, but I'm also going to make helpful suggestions beforehand. You have six candidates for your team and then you're going to arrange the other teams as well. You'll need to consider who is best for what job and which sensei is best for that team. Of course, Kakashi and Sasuke are already together so that just narrows it down. I believe you're going to put Haruno Sakura with them as well."

Naruto nodded and reached across the table for the files but was stopped by his grandfather.

"Remember Naruto, that this is just another job that a Hokage has to deal with. You have to be objective here and consider all sides of the issue. I want you to look at this in my light for a moment. Who is the worst student grade wise in your class?"

Naruto glanced down at the papers and was surprised to find…

"Shikamaru? But he's a freaking genius. Why is he the bottom of our class?"

Anko snorted and leaned back in her chair.

"Because he doesn't apply himself. He's bored, I can tell. I used to be the same way except I'd actually do the tests instead of half-assing them. That's why his grades suck."

Naruto sighed and shuffled Shikamaru's folder to the side.

"I guess, in a way, it's for the best. Besides Shino, Shikamaru would be able to deal with Sasuke the best. He analyzes things and would most likely be the voice of reason in their group. Truth be told, I don't think Shino would put up with it. He can be cold when he wants to be."

Sarutobi nodded and puffed on his pipe some more.

"The other team?"

Naruto shuffled the folders some more and laid three side by side.

"This team will do good under Uncle Asuma. Hinata, Shino, and Chouji would all benefit from being under him. I was going to put Hinata with Kurenai-sensei but I think she'd do better under Asuma. He's less likely to coddle her and I think she'd appreciate that."

"Shino and Chouji?"

"Shino could use someone who isn't so rigid to loosen him up a bit and Chouji needs someone to push him. Asuma is lazy, yes, but given the right incentive, he'll teach them what needs to be taught."

"Tell me Naruto, what is the purpose of this team?"

Naruto looked hard at the files and took a deep breath.

"I've tried to make the teams as balanced as possible. Having overly specialized teams was a good idea since it gives them more practice in that area, but overspecialization can do more harm than good. On Asuma's team we have a tracker in Hinata as well as taijutsu specialist, in Shino we have…a tracker as well as detainment, and in Chouji we have the tank."

Sarutobi nodded his head and knocked his pipe out.

"Very good Naruto. I know who is on your team now and I can pretty much guess why, but we'll save that for later. I believe you should switch Shino and Shikamaru in their roles. Asuma's team would be too specialized if you don't."

Naruto looked at the files again and blinked.

"You're right. Shino can take Sasuke and Sakura's verbal abuse and they need a tracker. Shikamaru can detain the enemy so Hinata and Chouji can decimate them. It's perfect."

Anko smiled and ruffled his hair.

"See? You're smarter than I thought."

Naruto knocked her hand aside and glared at her. Sarutobi laughed at their antics and shuffled the folders into separate piles.

"Now, explain to me why you've chosen Kiba and Ino on your team. Last I heard, you didn't get along with the little Yamanaka very well."

"Well…Kiba makes the best tracker so I'm kind of biased there I guess. As for Ino…well, besides Hinata she's the only girl who's ever tried to be nice to me, I guess. It was the only way to divide the teams up so they were all even."

"I guess that that is that then. Who is your sensei?"

"Yuuhi Kurenai would be a good one I believe. She is unbiased and would help us all the best."

"And your underlying motive for choosing her?"

Naruto glared at Anko as she grinned back and rubbed the back of his head.

"I suck at genjutsu and she's a genjutsu mistress. I kind of thought she might be able to help me."

Anko thought he needed a little more needling and leaned over in his direction.

"Are you sure it isn't because she's hot and you have a school boy crush?"

"I do _not_ have a school boy crush."

"But she _is_ hot."

Naruto groaned and put his face in his hands.

"…plead the fifth…"

Sarutobi let out a bellow of laughter and scooped the files into his arms.

"Let's call it a day shall we? Anko, I'd like it if you would accompany us to dinner at my estate…and put something decent on please? I have an impressionable young grandson."

Anko laughed hard before excusing herself to go to her home to change. Dinner at the Sarutobi household would definitely be interesting later that night…

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Naruto sat in his desk, eagerly awaiting the teams to be announced. The test had been a mere formality for him, he knew he could pass. And as expected, all his friends had passed as well. Iruka droned on about how they were now ninjas of Konoha and how the fun and games were now over, yadda yadda yadda. The poor man had given the speech so many times, even he seemed disinterested in what he was saying.

Naruto thoughts turned to what he had to do as a concession from his grandfather for allowing him some say so into the arrangement of the teams. Naruto had promised he would make the effort but he wouldn't press the issue if Sasuke proved…hostile.

"I'll announce the teams now. Try to get along with each other since you may be with these people for several months or years. Remember that you are now shinobi of the Leaf Village and should hold yourself as such. Now then Team One…"

Naruto blotted out everything until he heard someone familiar named.

"Team Seven under Hatake Kakashi. Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Aburame Shino."

Sakura leapt to her feet, screaming something about true love conquering all and Naruto could swear that he heard Shino let out a deep breath that sounded somewhat like a growl, the only sign that the bug-user was not happy with his situation. Naruto felt sorry for his friend, but if anyone could handle it, it was Shino.

"Team Eight under Yuuhi Kurenai. Uzumaki Naruto, Yamanaka Ino, and Inuzuka Kiba."

There were no loud declarations, but Naruto caught Kiba pumping his arm in the air in victory and Akamaru wagging his tail happily. Ino sat behind him so he couldn't see her reaction but he could guess she was still somewhat bummed that she wasn't on Sasuke's team. He'd hoped she'd gotten over him, but old habits die hard.

"Team Ten under Sarutobi Asuma. Akimichi Chouji, Hyuuga Hinata, and Nara Shikamaru."

Hinata smiled sadly. She'd so wanted to be on Naruto's team, but Chouji and Shikamar were good friends of hers as well. She'd simply have to make do. Shikamaru leaned his head up off his desk long enough to grin at Chouji and smile at Hinata before letting it fall back with a thump.

Iruka gave one more small speech, congratulating his former students, before turning on his heel and leaving the room, telling them their senseis would be alog shortly. Naruto steeled himself and stood from his chair, making his way across the room. Everyone tensed when they saw where he was heading.

Uchiha Sasuke.

Sasuke saw him coming out of the corner of his eye and readied himself for whatever was to come. He slowly lowered his hand from his mouth to his shuriken pouch, just in case. Naruto stopped just short of his desk and stood there with everyone waiting for the ensuing fight.

"Sasuke, I have something to say to you."

The dark haired boy looked up into blue eyes and stood as well, his hands in his pockets.

"What do you have to say to me Uzumaki? Finally come to admit I'm better than you?"

"Not likely. I'm here to offer a truce between you and I. We've been at each others throats since I started attending this academy and as fellow ninjas of Konoha, we need to at least be neutral to one another. So, what do you say? Truce?"

Sasuke looked down at the offered hand as if in disbelief. He'd never had anyone offer anything but pity or wellwishes. Now here was someone he had told personally that he would kill offering neutrality. Perhaps…he should accept. At the very least he'd have someone who could stand up to him and offer a challenge on neutral ground. Then his Uchiha pride kicked in and he slapped the hand away.

He would not be patronized by a person who didn't know his pain. He wouldn't admit equality to one below his station, someone who didn't even know their _real_ family. He would not admit neutrality to a demon.

"Take your offer and shove it Uzumaki. You're just trying to get out of your inevitable defeat and death. You will fall before me once I've taken care of _him_."

Naruto let out a slow breath and turned his now cold eyes on Sasuke.

"I feel sorry for you Sasuke. You live in your own little fantasy world where everyone is below you just because of your family name. I offered you my hand in goodwill and you spit on it. You won't get another chance from me. If you ever want my respect now, you'll have to come forward yourself."

Without another word, Naruto turned and walked back to his desk, thoroughly unsatisfied with the way things had gone. The entire class let out a breath they didn't know they'd been holding and the tense atmosphere disappeared. As if on cue, the door opened and Kurenai walked in wearing her dress-that-looks-like-bandages. She smiled at the class and waved.

"Hello everyone. I'm here to pick up Team Eight. If you'll just come with me."

Naruto waited for Kiba and Ino to walk past before he turned to Team Ten and whispered to them.

"Good luck you three. Just remember that Uncle Asuma is kind of lazy so it'll be up to you, Hinata, to motivate him. Shikamaru sure as hell won't do it."

Hinata giggled and nodded her head, while Chouji chomped on his chips happily and Shikamaru snored on. Naruto then turned to Shino and stuck out his hand.

"I'm sorry about your team Shino. I don't think I could do it."

The bug-user pushed his shades up further and blinked.

"I believe I will be able to handle it Naruto. If things become too much for me to handle, you will be the first to know. I'll expect you to fill out the paperwork for my transfer yourself."

Naruto laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head.

"So…you know about that aspect of my job huh?"

"Indeed. My father does not shelter me from such things. I am privy to information that many our age aren't, besides yourself of course."

"I'm sure your bugs have nothing to do with getting said information."

Shino's right eyebrow raised slightly, the only indication that he was smirking.

"That's why I'm a tracking specialist. I play my role well, as do you."

"Naruto! Let's go, we have a team meeting!"

"Coming sensei! I gotta go Shino. I'm sorry."

Shino watched the blonde bound out of the door and sighed as he turned to his teammates. He could only hope that Kami didn't hate him too much…

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Kurenai led her team to her favorite place in the village, a small teashop in the market district. It was easy to enjoy the peace and quiet that the small shop offered, despite being on one of the busiest streets in the village. Her genin sat down in a booth, Naruto and Ino on one side, she and Kiba on the other with Akamaru on Kiba's head. She smiled at the thought that they were _her_ genin, _her_ responsibility. The idea almost made her shiver with excitement.

There weren't many kunoichi who got to her level or beyond. Most stayed at chuunin level or were relegated to the med-nin role. Kurenai had bigger aspirations. Tsunade-sams had become a legend by being the best med-nin ever. Kurenai wanted to become a legend in her own field. She smiled as she looked around the table. She could already say that she had a hand in shaping a future Hokage. That alone was something to be proud of. Kiba would one day be influential in the running of his clan and Ino would undoubtedly surpass her father if she stuck to training. The girl was already manipulative enough without adding in her family jutsus.

"Now then children, as you know, my name is Yuuhi Kurenai. We've already spent some time together when I was an academy assistant, but I'll be taking a more direct approach to your training. Naruto, you need help with your genjutsu most of all. Quite frankly, in your own words, you suck at it."

Kiba laughed until his sides hurt and Ino giggled at the disgruntled look on Naruto's face. Yes, he had said that himself, but the other two didn't have to hear it said like that. Kurenai coughed into her hand and Ino and Kiba settled down.

"Now that we've all had a laugh at Naruto's expense, let's introduce ourselves."

Kiba looked at her like she was stupid and glanced around the table.

"But sensei, we already know each other."

Kurenai smiled at him, a smile that told him to shut his mouth or he was in trouble.

"Yes Kiba, we do know each other, but not on the level that a successful team does. We need to know each other on a more intimate level. We need to know that we can trust one another."

She looked at the three one after the other, Naruto in particular. He had more skeletons in his closet than a mortician, but she wouldn't press the issue. Despite his outgoing personality, when it came to talking about himself the boy was intensely private.

"I'll start. My name is Yuuhi Kurenai. I enjoy making new genjutsus, drinking various teas, and taking care of my garden at home. I dislike perverts, idiots, chauvinists, and those who put down women in my profession. My hobbies are reading a good romance story and keeping my friend Anko in line. My dream is to become world renowned as a Genjutsu Mistress and to take you three all the way to the top. Kiba, you're up."

The Inuzuka child grinned widely and folded his arms.

"I'm Inuzuka Kiba. This is my partner Akamaru. I like playing with Akamaru, hanging out with my friends, and perfecting my clan's jutsus. I dislike jerks like Uchiha Sasuke and cats. Can't stand cats. My hobbies are playing with Akamaru and checking out girls. My dream is to be the best tracker the Inuzuka has ever seen."

Kurenai nodded and smiled at Ino.

"My name is Yamanaka Ino. I like working in my own private little garden, shopping, and reading. I dislike Haruno Sakura and all the others who come between me and Sasuke-kun. My hobbies are studying people and solving puzzles. My dream is to get closer to Sasuke-kun and be the one to help him heal and I want to be a great kunoichi."

Naruto and Kiba groaned when she mentioned Sasuke. Kurenai kept her smile on her face but inside she was groaning as well. She'd thought that Ino had made progress in her fascination with the Uchiha boy but apparently she'd had a backslide somewhere along the way. That would have to be fixed, one way or the other. Kurenai turned from the starstruck Ino to Naruto.

"My name's Uzumaki Naruto. I like my family, my friends, and learning new things. I dislike bigotry and stupidity. My hobbies are learning new jutsus and reading up on history. My dream is to be the best ninja of all time."

Kurenai clapped her hands slowly and smiled at her students.

"Now that we have that out of the way, I have a proposal. We can either do the test today or wait until tomorrow. It's your call."

The three whispered amongst themselves for a moment before sitting back in their booths.

"We'll take it now. We think we can do it. But sensei…we've already taken the academy test."

Kurenai stood from her seat and motioned for them to follow her. As they walked, she told them of how things really worked.

"You've passed the academy test, but not _my_ test. If you want to be true genin, you'll need to pass the test I give you. If you can't, the three of you get packed back off to the academy, where Iruka will give riveting lectures for another year. We wouldn't want that now would we?"

The three genin shook their heads furiously and followed her in silence. Naruto smirked to himself when he remembered part of his conversation with his grandfather and Anko over dinner.

_"Naruto, if I had forced you to be on Sasuke's team, what would you have done?"_

_Naruto grinned and put his fork down._

"_I wouldn't have passed. On purpose."_

_Anko nearly spit her drink out and pounded on her chest. Sarutobi blinked._

"_What do you mean you wouldn't have passed?"_

"_I would have failed on purpose. I'm not being on that prick's team. You have to remember Jiji, I'm not a ninja yet so techinically, I'm not under your orders yet. I would have failed that test just to make a point."_

_Sarutobi raised an eyebrow and looked around the table to find interested faces._

"_And what point would that be?"_

_Naruto grinned and took a sip of his drink._

"_I'm not always going to agree with you Jiji. And Uchiha Sasuke is a subject that we will never agree on."_

"What are you thinking about Naruto?"

Naruto shook his head when he heard Kiba's voice and smiled at his friend.

"Nothing much. Just remembering a conversation a couple days ago."

They pulled up short when Kurenai whirled on her heel and faced the three genin.

"My test is a little different from others. I have a friend that will help me administer it. All one you have to do is touch me. I won't move an inch. My friend, however, will be making moves to stop you. She's very good, so I suggest that you don't hold back."

Ino raised her hand tentatively.

"Um…sensei. Who is your friend?"

"Oh I'm a very good friend of Kure-chan, aren't I Naru-chan?"

Kiba and Ino turned to Naruto to find _that_ woman draped across his shoulders. Naruto had his eyes closed in resignation, fully understanding that he and his new team were officially _fucked_. Anko was not known for being gentle during training sessions and since this was probably an official training session…well, he'd just have to touch Kurenai. Anko noticed the smirk building on his face and whispered in his ear.

"No melting."

The smirk immediately left his face. Anko grinned and shunshined to her spot beside Kurenai. Kiba glared at Naruto and he noticed that even Ino seemed a little…pissed? That was unexpected. Kiba was never one to let sleeping dogs lie.

"I hate you. You always find some way to have hot women hanging off you and you don't care."

Naruto glared back at his friend.

"Don't worry Fido. You're about to find out why her draping herself all over you isn't a good thing."

"Awww Naru-chan. I thought you liked my boobies. I thought we had something special."

She latched onto Kurenai and began to sob into the woman's shoulder while Kurenai tried to hold back her laughter.

"Kure-chan, Naru-chan doesn't love me anymore. My boobies aren't good enough for him."

Kurenai patted Anko's back, soothing her.

"It's ok Anko-chan. I'm sure by the end of this session, Naruto will be all yours again. You know he can't resist your charms."

Anko sniffed a bit and wiped the crocodile tears from her eyes, before grinning and pulling two kunai from her trenchcoat.

"I can't wait. Ok kiddies, come and try to get Kure-chan. And Naruto? I hope you've been eating candy lately because your blood needs to be a little sweeter."

Kurenai raised her hand and dropped it, watching as the genin disappeared. Anko pouted and turned to her.

"Awww, they ran away. Now I have to wait to cut someone up."

Kurenai sighed and folded her arms.

"Anko…I don't know what I'm going to do with you."

Anko grinned and relaxed her stance. The genin wouldn't be attacking just yet.

"Let's discuss my favorite fox, shall we? Did you know he went on his first mission with me the other day?"

Kurenai quirked an eyebrow. That hadn't been in the files…

"Do tell."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto looked around the underbrush. He had to find his teammates before they did something rash, like rush Anko. She might not kill them, but they didn't heal like he did and Anko was less likely to care. He'd been around the Hokage office enough and filed enough reports on genin teams to know that the tests were always about teamwork. Now he just had to implement that. Unfortunately, he was restricted from using his kekkei genkai.

He snuck through the bushes and found Ino hunched over behind a shrub, staring out at the two talking women. Naruto rolled his eyes and snuck behind her before clapping a hand over her mouth. Ino started to squeal and struggle before Naruto bent down and hissed in her ear.

"Quiet. She'll hear us. We need to find Kiba and Akamaru now. The only way we'll pass is if we work together. If we don't work together, we'll fail."

Ino nodded and he took his hand off her mouth.

"So where is Kiba?"

"I don't know. We'll have to look for him. Keep behind me and hold my hand. Anko-sensei is very vindictive and she won't hesitate to pick you out because you're the weakest of the three of us."

Ino scowled at him and smacked him in the back of the head.

"I'm the weakest? What the hell does that mean?"

"Physically I mean. Anko-sensei is a very physical woman and she won't hesitate to strike out, even if she's supposed to be guarding Kurena-sensei. She gets bored easy. Come on, we have to find Kiba."

It didn't take long to find Kiba since he and Akamaru burst out of the bushes and ran straight for Kurenai. Anko never stopped talking to the woman as she stepped in front of Kiba's assault and grabbed him by the collar of his jacket before wrapping Akamaru in her Senei Jashu snakes and hurling them across the clearing and back into the shrubs. Naruto and Ino immediately bolted towards the point where Kiba had landed.

Anko could sense them running and was slightly disappointed in Naruto for not concealing himself better. But then again, he was towing a very green genin behind him.

"So, he's already killed four people? And done an interrogation?"

"Yup. He's my prize pupil. You better not let him get soft."

Naruto and Ino finally reached the spot where a knocked out Kiba was being licked by a limping Akamaru. Anko had thrown both right into a tree but Kiba took the brunt of it, saving Akamaru a broken leg. Naruto smacked his friend across the face and stood up when his eyes fluttered open.

"Come on Kiba, get up. We have to work together to get past Anko-sensei."

Kiba stood up and shook his head before picking Akamaru up and stuffing him inside his jacket.

"And how are we going to do this? She's too fast and strong."

"Anko-sensei is surprisingly easy to fool if you know how. You just have to offer her something she wants."

Ino quirked an eyebrow.

"And that would be?"

Naruto answered by shucking off his black shirt and peeling off his mesh undershirt, making Ino blush at his well-toned body. He threw the clothing aside and rolled his shoulders before pulling his knife from its scabbard.

"You offer her a fight and blood. She'll leave Kurenai-sensei's side and you two will rush in to touch her. Akamaru first, then Kiba, then Ino in a straight line. "

Ino got her blush under control and her eyes widened when she saw his field knife. She hadn't really noticed it being that big and now Naruto had it in his teeth as he tightened his hitai-ate.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to engage Anko-sensei. She can't do anything any worse than she usually does in training. Just do as I told you to and everything will work out fine."

"What do you mean blood?"

"Anko-sensei has a thing for making people bleed and she says she likes the taste of my blood. I'm going to offer it up to her. Now just wait for me to lead her away."

Without another word, Naruto walked out of the brush and calmly made his way to the center of the clearing. Kurenai saw him coming and whistled.

"Wow, he's pretty buff for a kid. You make him work out a lot?"

Anko turned and found one of her favorite sights in the world, a shirtless Naruto, ready to bleed. She licked her lips and turned back to Kurenai. Her eyes followed the blonde across the clearing till he stood on the opposite side he'd come from. The smirk he had told her he had something planned.

"Hey Anko-sensei! How about a game of chase? If you win, you get to cut me up!"

Anko whimpered and looked from Naruto to Kurenai and back again. She'd promised to help Kurenai, but he was offering her blood and…she whined piteously. Kurenai sighed.

"Just go get him Anko. He's the more dangerous of the three anyway and I only promised not to use my hands. I never promised not to use genjutsus that I've mastered without seals on them."

Anko grinned and took off after Naruto, who yelped and turned to run.

"Wait up Naru-chan! I just wanna make you bleed! You know you like it!"

Kurenai turned to where Akamaru, Kiba, and Ino came charging out of the brush and set up a genjutsu to hide her position. The three halted in their run and looked around. Kiba sniffed the air.

"She's still here. She's using a genjutsu to hide her position, but she didn't mask her smell. Ino, you're better with genjutsus than I am so try to dispel it."

Ino nodded and put her hands in the release sign, dispelling the low level jutsu. Kurenai smirked and formed a few bunshins to catch them off guard, throwing in a genjutsu to fool Kiba's and Akamaru's smell receptors. Kiba sniffed the air and dodged a punch when the clone got too close.

"They smell real! I think they're shadow clones. If we can hit them solid then we can dispel them."

Ino dodged a kick from the teacher lookalike and rolled forward. The bunshin threw another punch and Ino lashed out, her kick going right through it.

"That one was fake! I'm not nearly as good at taijutsu as you and Naruto."

Kiba growled and pulled a kunai out, lashing out with abandon. He dispelled the bunshin and jumped back beside Ino.

"Well, the brains aren't here so it's up to you. You're smarter than me so think of something. I'm not going back to that academy!"

"Give me a second!"

Ino continued to think as Kiba fought off the bunshins and it suddenly came to her.

"All we have to do is touch her right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Get Akamaru and follow me. I'll explain as we run."

Kiba scooped up his puppy and followed her in a sweep around Kurenai's flank. His eyes twinkled once she was through explaining and they changed course running right for their sensei. Kurenai quirked an eyebrow and sent a few more bunshins their way, disguised as Anko. Ino dodged their swipes and bent low, allowing Kiba to use her back as a springboard. Kurenai watched with interest as he launched a white object through the air. She followed its decent with her eyes and blinked when it landed on her head. She glanced up only to have Akamaru lick her in the face.

Kurenai laughed and dispelled her bunshins. The exercise was over.

"That's enough. You passed my test. Technically, one of you is supposed to touch me, but since Akamaru is Kiba's partner and therefore an extension of himself, I'll count it. Now let's go save Naruto before Anko bleeds him dry."

The two genin nodded and followed their new sensei to find their wayward teammate.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The sight before them left Kiba wide-eyed and somewhat fearful of females and Ino slightly jealous, afraid, and…aroused? Kurenai just covered her face with her hands and groaned.

Naruto was laid out spread eagle on the ground, his waist still bare, and his arms and legs held down by pythons Anko had summoned. Said woman had cuts littered all over the blonde's body and was moaning in ecstasy whenever she licked his blood from her kunai. Kurenai coughed into her hand and Anko looked up, grinning like a maniac.

"Hey Kure-chan, squirts. Want some? It's really tasty."

Kiba and Ino shook their heads quickly and Kurenai sighed.

"The test is over Anko so you can let him go now. I need to talk to all three besides."

"Awww, but I just caught him a little while ago. I haven't even gotten to his pants yet. And I'm sure blondie over there is curious as to what's in them from the blush on her face."

Ino squeaked and Kurenai grabbed Anko by the collar.

"Dispell your summons please Anko. You can have him after we're finished."

Anko pouted but waved her hand, dismissing the summons. Naruto stood up and cracked his back before grinning at his teammates.

"So, we passed?"

They nodded dumbly. Kurenai smiled and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Yes, you three did. That was very noble sacrificing yourself so your teammates could get closer to me. Foolhardy, but noble. Now, Team Eight has officially passed my test. We'll meet at the Hokage tower tomorrow at 8 AM for our first assignment. Kiba, Ino, you should go home and rest. I'll try to liberate Naruto from Anko."

Kiba and Ino nodded and left for home, both offering Naruto sympathetic looks before scampering off to celebrate with their families. Kurenai turned back to find Anko nuzzling Naruto's cheek and the blonde rolling his eyes as if it was an everyday occurrence.

"Naruto, Anko has told me certain things about you that I was not aware of. How about we all go out for some dango and discuss your kekkei genkai?"

"Shouldn't Ino and Kiba have come along too?"

Kurenai shook her head and smiled.

"Not just yet. Those two have the biggest mouths in your graduating class. I'd like to let them know slowly if possible. Besides, your file is mostly classified and as your sensei, I want to know more about my pupil. I expect the same courtesy you show Anko."

Naruto's eyes widened and he stepped back.

"You're not a vampire too are you?'

Kurenai laughed and went to help him find his clothing.

"No, I'm not. I prefer less sadistic tendencies. Now get your shirt and let's go. We have a lot to discuss."

"Awww, I prefer him shirtless."

"Not now Anko."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A few minutes later found Naruto in the company of two beautiful women in a dango shop. He couldn't imagine what they wanted to talk about, but from the calm look on Kurenai's face it must be important. Kurenai swallowed her dango and looked him in the eye.

"Let's talk about a few things Naruto. Like your kekkei genkai, your feud with Sasuke, and your role on my team."

Naruto took a sip of his tea and let out a deep breath.

"What do you want to know?"

**Hope I satisfied some people with this one. Genin life begins next chapter. Let me know what you think.**


	16. Team Bonding

And here's Chapter 16. Hope you like it. Readers, Reviewers, Thank you...**All Over You**_ by Live._

_Over 1000 alerts now. Thanks all of you._

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

"What do you want to know?"

Kurenai pondered the question, rolling it around in her mind. It was such an innocent question, one that had a lot of possibilities. She wanted to know many things.

Why he was practically raised in the Hokage Tower. Why he took and assigned missions to Konoha ninjas. Why he was trained by so many different teachers. Why he hid his true strength and only gave half-glimpses and half-truths.

"I want to know everything. I want to know about your kekkei genkai, that knife you carry since I've never seen one like it before, and all your training. I want to know about _you_ Naruto."

Anko smirked and elbowed Kurenai in the side, eliciting a grunt from her red-eyed friend.

"Getting comfy already Kure-chan? And you were saying I was moving in early?"

Kurenai frowned and narrowed her eyes.

"You know, you aren't necessary for this part of the student-teacher conference Anko. If you'd be so kind as to leave now, thank you."

Anko's smirk left her face slowly until it settled into a frown.

"Are you telling me I can't stay Kure-chan?"

"Yes, I'm asking you to leave. I'd like to talk to my student alone."

"He's my student too you know."

"Anko…"

The trenchcoat clad woman stood in a huff and pushed her chair back in.

"Fine. I know when I'm not wanted. I'll see you later Naru-chan. Good bye Kurenai."

Kurenai sighed at her friend's actions and waved. Anko got to the door of the shop and narrowed her eyes. She might have to leave, but…she would have the last word. Cupping her hands to her mouth she yelled out across the shop.

"KURENAI! BE SURE TO HAVE YOUR LITTLE BOYFRIEND BACK HOME BY 9 FOR BEDDY BYE! YOU KNOW HOW SLEEPY HE GETS AFTER YOU WORK HIM HARD ALL DAY!"

Seeing her student and friend glow red and glare at her, Anko stepped out of the shop cackling, her work finished for the day. It was too early to hit the bars…she might as well go torture some poor soul. Rolling her shoulders, she set out to find a victim. Maybe she and Ibiki could tag-team a guy…

Kurenai groaned and hid her reddening face in her hands. Naruto wasn't much better and they could hear the whispers of the patrons of the shop, making things ten times worse. Kurenai peeked out from behind her fingers to look at Naruto's beet red face and groaned.

"Let's just take this conversation to my home ok? I'll get some more dango to go."

Naruto nodded, still not willing to look her in the eye, lest he turn even redder. Kurenai slipped out of her seat and walked to the counter.

"Can I get a few orders to go please?"

The clerk eyed her warily as he rang up the purchase.

"Look lady, I know you come here a lot, but I don't want no child mol…"

Kurenai growled and leaned over the counter so only he could here.

"That is my _student_ over there. My _friend_ that left earlier will be getting hers later for embarrassing me in public like that. Just give me my order and let's forget what she said or I'll make sure you sing soprano for the rest of your life. I'm embarrassed enough as it is."

The man gave a quick nod and handed her a large order of dango.

"On the house, to atone for my…mistake. I didn't mean to offend."

Kurenai smiled and bowed her head slightly to the man, taking the offered dango.

"Thank you. I'm sorry for my outburst. Please accept my apologies."

The man kept his eye on her but waved his hand dismissively and Kurenai motioned for Naruto to head outside before anything else potentially embarrassing could happen. They walked to her house in silence, complete and suffocating silence. The day had started off so well for her and her students and Anko had completely ruined it. Kurenai's only thought was that she was glad that Ino and Kiba hadn't been there to see that.

She'd get Anko back later. Oh yes, she'd get her back, but it would have to be later. Once they reached her house, Kurenai ushered him in and told him to sit on the couch, which he did very stiffly. The red-eyed beauty sighed and sat the dango on the coffee table before him, as she sat out to make the tea.

As the kettle began to heat up, she added the pouch of tea to the pot and turned back to look at her pupil. She was terribly curious about him. After all, how many could say they had a hand in shaping the Hokage's grandson and a future Hokage as well? But he was such a mystery. His kekkei genkai was unheard of, that knife he carried was something she'd never seen, and…she was curious as to how he felt about harboring the Kyuubi. As the law went she couldn't ask him about it, but if she could guide him into talking about it…

"Kurenai-sensei, are we going to talk or not?"

Kurenai shook herself out of her little stupor and smiled at her student. The tea could wait. She crossed the room and sat on the other side of the coffee table, on a pillow on the floor.

"We're going to talk. I was just making tea so we'd have something to drink. After Anko's little display, I need something to calm my nerves. Now, how about we start by you telling me a little about yourself."

Naruto tilted his head and blinked.

"Sensei, we already did this exercise earlier today. I told you about me."

"No, you told your teammates about you and you didn't say much. I know you and Kiba are friends but you keep a lot from him. I take it you and Ino are just now starting to talk to one another. As your sensei, I want you to be able to talk to me about anything. To do that, you can't hide things from me or I can't help you. Just tell me about yourself."

Naruto looked down at his hands and twiddled his thumbs nervously. He'd never actively spoken to anyone about himself outside of his family and senseis. But Kurenai _was_ his sensei now and he should treat her as such. He took a deep breath and locked his blue eyes with her red ones.

"My kekkei genkai is called The Melt. It allows me to disappear inside of solid objects, as long as they can contain my mass. I can move at very high speeds while using my ability and can attack from anywhere. My field knife is unique to me. I don't know anyone else that has one and it handles differently from a kunai or a short sword. I know a few jutsus but I'm not truly a jutsu specialist. I'm more close combat and assassination."

Kurenai winced when he said assassination. She knew it was a useful thing in the ninja world and she had assassinated some people as well, but for one so young to accept his role…It was just as Anko had said, the boy took his path in life seriously. A bit too seriously.

"Very good Naruto. Show me."

The boy nodded and Kurenai watched with wide eyes as he began to sink into her couch. She watched closely, her trained eye searching for any genjutsu when she remembered…Naruto couldn't use genjutsu. And there weren't any ninjutsus she knew of that allowed one to move in the earth. Any time someone seemed to disappear into a solid object, it was either an illusion or they had replaced themselves with some type of clone. But Naruto actually…vanished.

"You know Kurenai-sensei, you have a really nice house. I can see a lot of it from my position here and it's very comfy."

Kurenai spun round and round, searching for the source of his disembodied voice, but found none.

"Naruto, where are you?"

"Above you."

Kurenai looked up and gasped. Naruto's head was the only thing visible from the ceiling as he grinned at her, more and more of his body becoming visible until he stood upside down on the ceiling. Kurenai was amazed.

"That is truly astounding. To think, I have a rare kekkei genkai user in my group of genin. Now come down from my ceiling and try not to leave footprints. I'll have you give a better demonstration to me and your teammates tomorrow."

Naruto nodded and melted back into the ceiling before appearing again in his crosslegged position on the couch.

"Isn't tomorrow a little soon sensei?"

The whistle of the teapot interrupted the two and Kurenai went to take it off the burner. As she poured the tea, she continued their conversation.

"No, it's not. If we're going to focus on team dynamics then we need to know what each member is capable of. And you're going to have to tell them eventually."

Naruto nodded and took a sip of the tea she offered him. He didn't want to talk about this, but he knew that it would come up eventually anyway.

"Would you like to discuss the Kyuubi?"

Kurenai stopped midsip and looked over her cup at her student. This had come a bit earlier than expected.

"I can only discuss certain issues if you want to Naruto. Do you want to?"

He nodded his head yes and Kurenai smiled. After this, there truly would be virtually no secrets between them.

"As you know sensei, I'm the container of the Kyuubi. I found out a few years ago. I'm sure you've seen my profile about what I've done so far."

Kurenai nodded her head.

"Well, that profile only contains the information that isn't classified. All the other stuff I'll have to tell you. I'm too valuable as a container and as a future Hokage to have too much information out about me."

Kurenai winced at the word 'valuable', like he knew that he was just a pawn. A child shouldn't feel like that.

"So…how did you find out? Who told you?"

"I figured it out myself. It wasn't hard after listening to people whisper and doing a little digging about bijuu in Jiji's library. I have to tell you something thought sensei. You might as well know that…I can hear it."

Kurenai's eyes widened to impossible proportions. He has a kekkei genkai, ok. He's killed before he was even a ninja, ok. He's the Sandaime's pick for taking over after his reign is over, ok. He can actually hear the demon and might listen to it…not something she wanted to deal with.

"Have you…"

"Talked to it? No. I refuse to acknowledge it. But I can hear it sometimes, usually when I'm stressed or in a fight. It gives me advice or…I think it does. Sometimes I think I just pick up its random ramblings. But I can hear it."

"Naruto…never respond to it. I'm sure you've been told that before by Hokage-sama, but don't ever talk to it. I don't want to think about what could happen."

Naruto nodded and took another sip of tea. He needed something to calm him down after revealing all that. It wasn't often he trusted someone enough to tell them what he was and what he could do.

"That's pretty much it sensei. Those are my big secrets. I'm good with my knife but nowhere near as good as Asuma-sensei. My taijutsu, Kalaripayit, is very odd for a Konoha ninja. I start with soft blows to try to dissuade the enemy but by the time I'm finished increasing the pressure, Gai-sensei said it's like being hit with a two ton weight. I can interrogate and have been told by Ibiki-sensei and Anko-sensei that I have talent. Truth be told, interrogation isn't all that bad. It's all in how you do it."

Kurenai's eyes widened slightly. She hated to interrogate people and she didn't want another Anko on her hands.

"How do you interrogate people?"

Naruto calmly took a sip of his tea and locked eyes with her.

"Fear. I make them fear me. After all, if they see me as a demon, they'll tell me anything."

"And how do you…"

A low, rumbling growl filled the air and Kurenai shuddered. It was like there was a beast in the room with them. She took in Naruto's visage and noticed his elongated fangs, the way his eyes were cold, and that growl…it shook her to the bone. As quickly as it was there, it was gone.

"That's one of the ways I do it. If we ever have to interrogate anyone sensei, I'll do it. I know from your file that you hate to do it."

She quirked her eyebrow and frowned at him.

"And how do you know what's in my file? You're not supposed to read files on jounin."

"Who do you think picked you for the academy?"

She gasped and sat her tea down.

"_You_ picked me? But I thought Hokage-sama…"

"Jiji asked me to pick a suitable replacement for Mizuki and I did. You were the only viable candidate and I thought you could straighten out the girls. Besides, it gave you valuable time with your future team and let you know some of our strengths and weaknesses ahead of time."

Kurenai shook her head and took a bite of dango off the skewer. The more she delved into Naruto, the deeper and more mysterious he became. She'd already found out what she wanted to know, but now…she just had few more questions.

"Naruto…do you want to be Hokage?"

His spine straightened, his eyes snapped open fully, and his mouth gaped. No one had ever questioned him on that.

"Jiji is correct when he says that I don't have much choice in what I'm going to do because of my condition. I don't really have any other options."

Kurenai shook her head again and locked her ruby red eyes with his cerulean blues.

"That's not what I asked Naruto. Stop avoiding the question. Do you want to be Hokage?"

He turned his gaze toward the floor and sighed heavily before looking back up.

"I don't know. I don't know what I want in life. I never have much say in what I do sensei. I've learned to just go with the flow and take what little freedoms I have as blessings. As a jinchuuriki I'm a sacrifice and that's what my whole life has been. My whole life is a sacrifice and no one cares what I've had taken away or what I'm denied."

Kurenai was listening intently. This wasn't the polite child, or the bright and sunny child, or even the cold, aloof child he normally was. This was a wounded individual who obviously bottled things up. The least she could do was let him rant and rave.

"No one ever really stops to think about what I want. From the time I was four, I've been trained to take that hat from Jiji. I didn't get to play much, I never got much time out, my nose was either in a book or buried in the ground courtesy of Gai-sensei. Then my kekkei genkai manifested and everything changed again. I virtually had no time for what few friends I have."

Kurenai was entranced by the battery of emotions flitting across his face. It was almost surreal listening to a thirteen year old talk about such things.

"I have to put up with the villagers and their stupidity. I have to put up with Sasuke and his idiocy. I had to kill Mizuki. I had to take and assign missions to ninjas who looked at me with indifference. That hurts worse than hatred or love, when someone doesn't care one way or the other about you. I cherish my friends. I cherish the time I spend with them because when I'm with them, I don't have to be the kid in the robes, or act as a Hokage should, or set an example for others. I can be Naruto."

His voice got lower as he spoke his final part, wrapping up his little diatribe.

"Do I want to be Hokage? No. I don't. But I realize that I have to if I want things to change. I don't want anyone else experiencing my life. If going to the top is the only way to change things, then I'll go to the top and show them who Uzumaki Naruto is. I'm not a demon, I'm not a monster. But if this village keeps it up, I might end up as one."

…**you don't have what it takes to be a monster…**

Naruto stiffened, his eyes widening, and Kurenai rushed to him immediately.

"What's the matter?"

His voice was barely above a whisper.

"It spoke to me again. It told me I don't have what it takes to be a monster."

She decided a change of subject may be in order if it was listening.

"Why do you and Sasuke hate each other?"

Naruto's eyes hardened at the mention of the boy's name and he frowned.

"He hates me because his dad said I was a demon in human form. He thinks that he's going to kill me after he kills Itachi, excuse me, _if_ he kills Itachi. Sasuke is nothing but trash."

…**the Uchihas do not taste very good either…**

Naruto snorted and Kurenai asked him what was so funny.

"It said that the Uchihas don't taste very good."

Kurenai decided that his raw emotions were what helped the beast communicate and it would be best to end their talk now.

"I've found out all I want to know Naruto. You should go home and rest. After all, we start those really fun D-rank missions tomorrow you know."

She smiled when he groaned and held out her hand to help him up.

"I think we're going to do fine Naruto. Our team will do just fine. Now go home and rest. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

Naruto nodded and made a single handsign. Kurenai blinked.

"Naruto, what are you…"

The feeling of a slight breeze was her answer and he disappeared before her very eyes, shunshining home. Kurenai blinked again before laughing to herself and picking up the dango and tea.

'At least I won't be bored with that kid around.'

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Kiba hollered out that he was home as he entered the kitchen and was greeted by the sight of his mother, sister, and their canine familiars. Tsume smiled at her son and motioned for him to sit.

"So, how was your team?"

Kiba grinned and sat Akamaru on the floor.

"It's great. I've got Yamanaka Ino and Uzumaki Naruto on my team."

Tsume's smile widened a bit more.

"The Hokage's grandson huh? I expect big things from your team then Kiba. I've heard that that boy is a tank when it comes to battle. Training with Gai would do that to anyone though. The Yamanaka girl I'm not so sure of. You, however, had better be on your best behavior."

"Mom! I'm always on my best behavior."

Tsume snorted and his sister Hana laughed as well.

"Kiba, I don't think you've been good a day in your life. I bet Mom can't remember a time she had you under control either."

Tsume put her finger to her chin and 'hmmmed'.

"Nope, can't remember a time at all. The boy has always been a handful."

Kiba was steadily getting angrier as their teasing went on and Tsume decided to stop before he destroyed something.

"Oh stop it son, don't get your panties in a wad. We're just teasing you. Now when is your test?"

"We already took it. We passed."

Tsume and Hana both shared a look and turned to him at the same time.

"Well? What was the test?"

Kiba shuddered, remembering Naruto's little sacrifice.

"We had to touch Kurenai-sensei while she stood still in the middle of a field…"

Tsume frowned and folded her arms.

"That doesn't sound too hard."

"…while some chick named Anko protected her."

Hana snorted and tried to stifle her laughter. She'd had to work with Anko on a couple of occasions when the woman needed a tracker and the bitch was crazy. There's no telling what the kids had done to get past her since Anko didn't know how to hold back.

"So how'd you get past her?"

"Naruto said she liked to drink his blood so he took off his shirt and offered himself up as a sacrifice before leading her away. Ino and I attacked Kurenai-sensei, she used some genjutsus and I threw Akamaru on top of her head. Then we had to rescue Naruto."

Tsume and Hana both had silly grins on their faces as they thought of what Anko had probably done to the boy. The woman was completely bat-shit loco.

"Soooo?"

"We found him held down by big snakes and she was cutting him up and licking the blood off her kunai. The strange thing? Naruto was laying there bored, like it was an everyday occurrence."

Tsume muttered to herself that it probably was. Hana, on the other hand, was a bit more curious.

"That kid has guts challenging Anko. You know, from what I remember of him, he's pretty cute. Maybe I need to come meet your team."

"Hell no! You stay away from him Sis. You're way too old for him."

Hana jerked back and glared at her brother. Kiba clapped a hand to his mouth, realizing what he'd just said. He immediately bolted for the door before she came to her senses.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING OLD?"

Tsume sighed as her children took off out of the house. The two were way too rambunctious. Perhaps being on a team with Naruto would help Kiba calm down. She'd seen on occasion while observing the boy that he was polite and his mannerisms reminded her of the Aburame at times. Probably from hanging around that Shino boy so much.

Her son's life would definitely not be boring from now on…especially with a future knockout like the Yamanaka girl on his team. Screams from outside indicated that Hana had caught Kiba and Tsume chuckled.

Things were definitely going to be interesting. She could see the dinner table conversations already…

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Yamanaka Ino had run home as fast as she could to tell her parents that she had passed. She burst through the door of the flower shop, scaring some of the patrons and rushed for the counter where her mother was arranging a flower assortment for someone's anniversary.

"Mom I passed! My team passed!"

Yamanaka Yuri smiled at her daughter and pushed the arrangement aside for the moment. She had to hear this.

"That's excellent dear. I'll cook your favorite meal to celebrate tonight. Now how did you do it?"

"Yes sweetie, how did you do it?"

Yamanaka Inoichi walked out of the back carrying a few bulbs in his hand and sat them on the counter. The patrons had all stopped as well to listen in on what had happened.

Ino regaled them with the tale of how she was on a team with Inuzuka Kiba and Uzumaki Naruto. Inoichi was ecstatic and her mother smiled at the mention of the blonde's name, but she noticed that some of the customers had frowns on their faces. When she got to the part about rescuing Naruto, Inoichi was about to die from laughter.

"So, the kid offers himself up to Anko and she ties him down and starts taking blood from him? I think the kid has a masochistic streak in him. Anyone who would willingly let Anko cut him up is crazy as hell."

Ino nodded in agreement when something came to mind.

"You know what though daddy? Now that I think about it, by the time Naruto found his shirt, most of those cuts were healed up. Is there a kekkei genkai that can do that?"

Inoichi began to sweat slightly. This was going into dangerous territory and he needed a way out.

"Tell me sweetie, what do you think of Naruto?"

Ino looked off into space, as if envisioning her fellow blonde.

"Well, he's really nice and usually laughing and joking around. He's really good-looking and without clothes, he's actually pretty buff. I mean, he even has a six-pack."

Inoichi, seeing that he'd steered her out of dangerous waters, now had to reel his hormonal daughter back in.

"So…he's better looking than the Uchiha boy?"

"Mmmm…well, he has a better body…DADDY!"

Inoichi laughed and waved his daughter over to her mother for what he called girl talk. He had customers to take care of.

Ino walked over to her mother, thoroughly embarrassed. She'd almost admitted that Naruto was better looking than Sasuke. That was a close one. Her mother, however, wasn't one to let an opportunity to tease go. She put her cheeks in her hands and leaned on the counter.

"So Ino, who has the better body?"

"MOMMA!"

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8 A.M. came early for Team 8 the next day. Naruto, Ino, and Kiba were already waiting for Kurenai when she arrived. She smiled at her team, _her team_, the three genin that she would mold and put her hands on her hips.

"Now then, we can go in and get a mission from the Hokage or we can have a team practice. We'll do both today, but I'll let you choose which we do first."

Naruto grumbled under his breath and Kiba turned to him.

"What'd you say?"

"I said let's do the mission and get it over with. The sooner we get done the better."

Ino and Kiba looked at him quizzically. The blonde girl was the first to question him.

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see."

Kurenai smiled and walked past them, pushing the door open and ushering them inside.

"Naruto, if you'll be so kind as to guide us there."

The whiskered boy grunted and made his way to the office where Sarutobi would hand out mission assignments in the morning. He'd been there often enough to walk there in his sleep. He sighed heavily and opened the door.

Sarutobi smiled and bridged his hands together, resting his chin on them. It had been quite an affair when Naruto came home the night before and they'd had quite the little shindig. He saw Naruto's disgruntled look and knew exactly why the boy was so melancholy. D-rank missions were a shinobi's bane. Naruto knew this, but his teammates were about to find out first hand.

"Team 8, led by Yuuhi Kurenai, reporting for our first mission Hokage-sama."

Sarutobi smiled at Kurenai and pulled out the D-rank scroll.

"Now, now Kurenai-chan, no need to be so formal. I'm glad to see you four here this morning. You're the first genin team to pass this year you know."

The three children grinned and Sarutobi glanced down at the scroll, a wicked gleam in his eyes.

'This'll get you back for that Oiroke no Jutsu, you little brat.'

"Let me see now. Hmmmmm, no, no, no, Ah! Here we are. Tora the cat has escaped again from his owner, the Daimyo's wife. Team 8, your mission is to find and capture the cat."

Kiba and Ino stood gobsmacked. This was a ninja mission? Kurenai was trying not to giggle at their responses, until Naruto marched over to the desk.

"Give me that damn scroll! There's got to be a better mission than that. I'll assign it myself!"

"Naruto."

Naruto winced at the harsh sound of that voice. He only heard it from his grandfather when he did something wrong…and he realized where he had messed up. He bowed his head in shame.

"Naruto…you don't assign missions any more do you?"

"No Hokage-sama."

"Do you have any say-so in this tower at the moment?"

"No Hokage-sama."

"You're supposed to set an example for your teammates Naruto. I'll be having a talk with you this evening. Now Team 8, go capture that cat…and Naruto? Don't kill it."

Team 8 followed out behind a crestfallen Naruto and Kurenai turned to apologize to Sarutobi, who smiled kindly and waved his hand.

"He's been assigning missions so long that he thought he'd be able to pick his own. He's going to have to adjust to genin life now. Might as well start him at the bottom of the barrel."

Kurenai nodded and closed the door behind her. She never saw Sarutobi's wicked grin or heard him whisper to himself.

"That'll teach you, you little pest."

She did hear him cackle however. That was strange…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ino and Kiba rounded on Naruto as soon as they left the tower.

"What the hell was that all about Naruto? You used to assign missions? I knew you worked in the tower but that?"

Ino stared at her blonde teammate in awe. What all had she missed about him in the years she had given up his friendship? Kurenai walked up behind Naruto and patted him on his shaggy head.

"Now Naruto, I know you hate D-ranks but they're necessary. Besides, the more you get done sooner, the faster you'll get a C-rank. You know that. Ino, Kiba, Naruto will be happy to tell you more about himself at our team meeting later. Right now, we have to catch Tora."

Naruto grumbled and kicked a stone as they walked away from the door.

"Stupid cat. I hate cats."

"Yeah, me too."

Akamaru barked in agreement from Kiba's jacket and Ino walked up beside Kurenai.

"Sensei, are these really missions? They seem kind of…dumb."

Kurenai smiled at her pupil and stopped in the road.

"They are, but they serve a purpose. They promote teamwork between team members and give the genins a little pocket money before they move up to C-ranks like protecting people and stopping bandits. Tora is a special case. The Lady Daimyo has been losing that pet for years now. There have actually been several Toras over the years, but the one thing that they all have in common is that they run away from her."

Kiba seemed to be in deep thought, a rare occurrence for the boy.

"Hey Kurenai-sensei? Is the Daimyo's wife here in Konoha?"

She tilted her head and looked at him.

"Yes. Why?"

"Well, if she has something with his scent on it, me and Akamaru can track him down sooner. I'd like to get this over with and get some actual training done."

Kurenai's smile brightened. Perhaps the boy wasn't quite so dense after all.

"That's an excellent idea Kiba. Let's go find her."

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It felt like they'd been in the woods for hours. They were hot, they were sweaty, and if they didn't catch that damned feline on the next go, all three genin had sworn to start using actual jutsus. Tora had evaded them every time they made a move against him and Kurenai was starting to fear for what her genin might do. Naruto had been on assassinations after all.

Kiba had the cat's scent again and the three genin and puppy moved in a box formation on the cat's location. Naruto could see the damnable thing in the bushes and noticed a small puddle behind it.

'Perfect.'

He tapped his communicator and Kiba and Ino halted.

"Hold your positions. I have an idea."

Naruto formed a Kage Bunshin where Ino and Kiba couldn't see and had it melt into the ground. It came up behind the cat and formed the Suiro no Jutsu, trapping the cat inside the impenetrable water ball. Naruto tapped his communicator again.

"Pest caught. Move in."

The three genin walked up to where the clone held the cat in a ball of water, the now soaked feline fighting to be released. Naruto reached his hand inside the prison and grabbed the cat by the nape of its neck. Tora hissed at Naruto and he let out a bone-chilling growl that made even Akamaru's neck hair stand on end.

Tora flew into Ino's arms and sat there, nestled safely into her bosom. The girl frowned at the feel of the wet cat and glanced over at a self-satisfied Naruto.

"What the hell was that? You nearly gave me a heartattack."

Naruto shrugged and gave the cat another withering glare.

"It worked didn't it? The cat doesn't look like it'll be running any time soon. And besides, I used to growl at you Sasuke fangirls all the time."

Kiba slapped him on the back and grinned.

"That was pretty cool man. Can you teach me that jutsu?"

Naruto grinned back and scratched his head.

"We'll see. I'm not a very good teacher. Can we go now sensei?"

Kurenai landed beside them and cast an appraising eye on them.

"That was very good team. You worked together well, although it took longer than I would have thought. Let's take him back and receive our mission pay. Then, we'll have that team meeting I talked about."

They followed her back to the Hokage tower, Naruto, Kiba, and Akamaru growling slightly to keep the cat firmly in Ino's arms. The girl was fretting over the smell of wet cat on her clothes and Kurenai rolled her eyes. She certainly wasn't bored with these three.

Sarutobi smiled when they came in, nearly laughing at how the two boys and dog growled at the cat and told the Daimyo's wife where to pay. Kurenai reported mission complete, Sarutobi crossed it off the list completely, and Team 8 left to get lunch and have that talk.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto was noticeably nervous. So obviously nervous that Kiba and Ino had called him on it several times. He brushed off their concerns but the closer they got to the training ground assigned to them, the more he began to sweat. Kurenai noticed it and coughed into her hand once they were settled in.

"I had a talk with Naruto last night and he has agreed with me that you should know certain things about him. You are a team now and there shouldn't be any secrets as to what you can and can't do. Naruto, if you would?"

She motioned for him to stand and he did so reluctantly. He hated to reveal his kekkei genkai but these people were his team and he could trust them.

"I have a kekkei genkai. I'm the only one who has it that we're aware of. With it, my specialty is assassination…and it works spectacularly."

Ino and Kiba's attention was front and center as he spoke. Kiba immediately asked what it was.

"It's easier to show you. Just watch."

The two genin watched with steadily widening eyes as Naruto began to sink into the ground until he was completely gone. Kiba sniffed the air, trying to find him and Akamaru did the same. Naruto's disembodied voice filled the air.

"Don't bother trying to smell me Kiba. I'm actually part of the ground now. You couldn't find me if you had the best nose in the world. Watch that tree to your left."

Kiba and Ino swung their bodies to face the tree and watched as Naruto melted out of the tree with a grin on his face.

"Pretty cool huh? I can melt into virtually anything except liquids. And I'm pretty quick with it."

Ino, still amazed, asked him how quick. Naruto sank back into the tree and was behind her in an instant with his arms around her waist.

"This quick."

He gave her a squeeze with his fingers, making her shriek, while Kiba and Kurenai laughed. Kiba stopped laughing at Naruto dodging Ino's blows and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"That was great. That's an awesome ability man. I'm sure it'll come in handy. You can sneak up on anyone with that thing. It'd be great for peeking."

Ino growled and socked Kiba in the jaw, sprawling him out on the ground while Kurenai shook her head disapprovingly. Naruto sighed and helped his slightly concussed friend back to his feet.

"Guys, I have one more confession. I've killed already. I've killed four times."

Ino gasped and Kiba just stared at him. Sure, Naruto wasn't your average guy but to have killed already? They'd just become genin.

"I did it before I was even a ninja. Once on my tenth birthday when a guy tried to kill my mom and a few months ago I was sent to interrogate and assassinate the traitor Mizuki."

"You killed Mizuki-sensei?"

Naruto nodded to Kiba and the dog boy sat for a while, pondering. Ino walked up to him and looked him in his eyes.

"How was it?"

"What?"

"To kill. What did it feel like?"

Naruto looked up to the sky and sighed.

"It felt…weird. You feel detatched when you kill the first time, like you're standing there watching from outside your body. The next few times, you actually feel it as you kill them, you see the blood and you feel the pounding of your heart. But you have to keep going, you can't let it eat at you…at least, that's what Anko-sensei says."

Kurenai clapped her hands and the genin all turned toward her.

"Eloquently put Naruto. I couldn't have said it better myself. Ino, Kiba, this is part of the harsh reality of being a shinobi. Naruto has experienced a lot before he even became a ninja. I'd like you three to discuss it amongst yourselves today. Consider this your training for the day. Devise a strategy based on your abilities. Learn to work well together. Become more comfortable with one another."

Ino looked over to her sensei.

"Where are you going sensei?"

Kurenai turned and put her hand into the sign for shunshin, grinning as she did.

"I'm going to a jounin bar to meet up with the other instructors and gloat a bit. None of the others had their test till today and I want to see how your competition did."

She disappeared in a whirl of leaves and Ino and Kiba turned to Naruto expectantly. He looked from one to the other and shrugged.

"What?"

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Kurenai rolled her shoulders as she walked into the bar. She could already hear the sounds of Anko making a scene inside and the boasting of Gai as he tried to con Kakashi into something frivolous. She set her face into a smirk and walked inside.

Asuma greeted her cheerfully and she smiled back at him before walking over to Anko and sitting beside her. The eccentric woman turned to whoever had sat down beside her and grinned.

"Kure-chan! So, how was today?"

"It was all right. I'd like to hear how everyone else did though."

Asuma took a drag on his cigarette and grinned. He already knew her team had passed. Naruto was his nephew after all.

"My team passed with no trouble. All they had to do was find me within an hour and capture me. Hinata found me and Chouji herded me toward Shikamaru, who captured me in his Kage Mane. They'll do fine."

A few more instructors announced their teams' failure and Kurenai waited patiently for Kakashi to speak. There were very few teams that passed and she knew that the one with the Uchiha boy on it was pretty much guaranteed to pass. Everyone waited for Kakashi to announce his team's status, but nothing ever came.

Thank Kami for Gai.

"KAKASHI, MY YOUTHFUL RIVAL! TELL US HOW YOUR TEAM DID TODAY!"

Kakashi glanced up from his porn and blinked slowly.

"You say something Gai?"

His job of annoying Gai beyond measure done, he turned to the others present and gave them an eye smile.

"My team passed. They didn't work well together at first but they eventually passed my test by helping each other after the initial test was over. Shino can be quite persuasive when he wants to be."

Kurenai couldn't help herself any longer.

"How is their teamwork Kakashi? Is Sasuke willing to work with the others?"

"He does so begrudgingly. I'll have to work with him on that. Sakura will follow whatever Sasuke says and Shino…well…Shino is Shino. I think they'll work out in the end."

He turned a lazy eye to Kurenai.

"And you Kurenai? How did your test go today?"

Kurenai smiled. Here was her moment to shine.

"I had my genin take my test the day of graduation. They had their first D-rank today. Their only goal was to touch me as I stood still in the middle of a field…"

The other instructors groaned at the ease of the test, but Anko grinned, knowing her part in the story was coming up. Kakashi snorted and opened his book again.

"And here I thought you were a little more hardnosed Kurenai."

"My genin had to touch me while Anko guarded me, authorized to use whatever means she deemed necessary."

The entire place went quiet and Anko snickered. She was glad that Kurenai got to show the jackasses up. Kakashi, while interested, didn't show it on the outside.

"How did they pass? And…who were your genin again?"

"My team is Inuzuka Kiba, Yamanaka Ino, and Uzumaki Naruto. They passed when Naruto offered himself up as a sacrifice to Anko and led her away from me. Ino and Kiba used teamwork to get past my genjutsus and threw Akamaru at me to end the exercise."

The place was quiet for an instant before Gai's voice broke the tension.

"What happened to my former pupil?"

"Oh, Anko caught him eventually and held him down while she cut him and drank his blood. Nothing big."

"ANKO-SAN THAT WAS MOST UNYOUTHFUL! MY STUDENT DID NOT DESERVE THAT!"

Anko merely smirked and flipped a kunai in her palm.

"Gai, he's my pupil as well and I'll cut him if I want to."

Kurenai drowned out the two as they bickered and grinned at Kakashi and Asuma.

"So…what do you think?"

Asuma shrugged and grinned back at her.

"My nephew is something else. Not many would challenge Anko like that."

Kakashi shook his head and snorted.

"I doubt that Naruto could beat Sasuke or Shino. I know your other two genin couldn't."

Asuma backed up slightly, knowing how Kurenai's competitive nature would come out. Said woman narrowed her eyes and grit her teeth.

"Let's just see in due time then. I'm pretty sure they'll meet in competition soon enough. When the time comes, I'll expect you to put money on that."

Kakashi smirked under his mask. He never passed up a bet.

"It's a deal then. Whenever we have the opportunity to have the two of them face each other in friendly competition, I'll put money on Sasuke."

Kurenai grinned and stood to leave.

"I'll hold you to that. Well, I'll be taking my leave now. Good night gentlemen."

Kurenai stifled a laugh as she left. Kakashi fell for her trap hook, line, and sinker. There wasn't any way Naruto would lose to Sasuke. She had faith in her student's abilities. Her day was complete. She'd watched her genin get tortured by a D-rank mission, had Naruto reveal his kekkei genkai to his teammates, and set up a near guaranteeable win in a bet with Kakashi. Her step was light as she walked home.

Life was good.

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Asuma clapped Kakashi on the shoulder and shook his head when the man turned.

"You know you've been suckered right? Kurenai's got that bet in the bag. Seriously Kakashi, did you even read the reports on the prospective genin."

"No I didn't. And I don't think so. I've never seen a genin with more promise than Sasuke. Naruto might be good, but when Sasuke unlocks his Sharingan, Naruto won't stand a chance."

Asuma snorted and Kakashi blinked.

"Whatever you say man. I'm just saying I know my nephew better than you and the Sharingan is nothing but a roadblock. He'll find a way around it. He always does."

Asuma left the bar, leaving Kakashi alone with his sake and book. The one eyed jounin looked toward the exit and shrugged. He knew Sasuke could win that fight.

Right?

**Team 8's bonding experience is next and the story will begin to roll along after that. Let me know what you think.**


	17. Keeping in Contact

And here's Chapter 17. For those of you who haven't guessed yet, I move at a very moderate pace in my storytelling, with short bursts of activity here and there. I see no reason to rush a story and will never have a reason to rush a story. With that said, please enjoy this little tidbit. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...**Spend Some Time**_ by Eminem._

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

_"What?"_

Ino blinked and Kiba just stared. Naruto sighed and flopped to the ground unceremoniously. Their training ground would have to do because these two weren't leaving until they had a few more answers.

"All right. Sit down and we'll talk. Don't know why sensei wants us to do this."

Ino sat down gingerly right across from him, lest her behind get bruised. Kiba sat down just as Naruto had, Akamaru jumping into his lap and curling up to take a nap. The camoflage clad genin looked around for anyone that might be listening and, having found no one, took a deep breath before turning his attention to his teammates.

"Ok look. I don't know what you expect me to say here. My ability, as you saw, lets me go into the ground and disappear. You can still hear my voice and I can still interact with you. I can't be seen by either the Sharingan or the Byakugan. I can fool those doujutsu. But, once I'm back above ground, it's open season again. I can't melt into liquids. I just can't. Probably has something to do with the composition of molecules or something."

Ino nodded, barely keeping up, but Kiba's jaw hung somewhat slack.

"Do what?"

Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose. He forgot that Kiba didn't know big words. For a moment, he wished that Shino or Shikamaru were on his team. But, then again, Kiba could be taught. You could always teach a dog new tricks.

"I'm saying that I just can't melt into liquids. It has something to do with my body. I can't go into humans either. Well, we don't know that for certain. Jiji just thinks that it wouldn't do to have me hurt myself or someone else just to find out. I can't really think of anything else. You're next Ino."

"Hey, why's she get to go next?"

Ino smirked and slipped her hair back over her shoulder.

"It's called being a gentleman Kiba. You know, ladies first?"

The dog boy scoffed and ruffled Akamaru's fur.

"You're no lady."

Before the blonde girl could wrap her hands around Kiba's neck, Naruto appeared behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"No Ino. We need him as a teammate. No killing Kiba. Kiba, stop antagonizing her."

"Oh come on Naruto. We don't need him. I'll hide the body and we can get a new partner next year."

Naruto sighed and plopped her back down where she had been sitting, where she crossed her arms in a huff.

"Ino, come on. What are your abilities?"

"Well, I'm pretty good with my family's Shintenshin jutsu. It allows me to swap my mind into another person's body and take over their actions. The downside is that my body goes limp without a mind in it and I'm helpless. It's pretty much a straight shot jutsu and takes a second to get into their mind. So, I need someone to hold the target or they need to be tied up. I need someone to look after my body as well."

She put her finger to her chin, thinking of anything else.

"I guess beyond that, I don't have much at the moment. Daddy's told me he'll train me in the next jutsu once I get better with Shintenshin but that might be a while. I know the academy taijutsu and the three academy jutsus. I'm more support than anything. My chakra control is pretty good though."

Kiba started laughing again and Ino glared at him.

"Got something to say mutt?"

Kiba wiped his eyes and grinned.

"You know, maybe if you stopped chasing after Sasuke so much, you'd be able to get a little training in. I've seen you fight Ino. Naruto and I could probably beat you with our arms and legs tied up."

Ino swung her head to Naruto to find out if he agreed and was somewhat saddened to find his face blank.

"Naruto…do you think that too?"

The blonde boy sighed and nodded his head slowly.

"It's true Ino. Outside of Hinata, you were the kunoichi with the most promise but you haven't really shown any. You spend all your energy chasing Sasuke when you could be training or studying."

"But…I don't chase Sasuke that much…"

"What's the principle behind the bunshin jutsu?"

"Umm…"

"What color underwear did Sasuke wear last Tuesday?"

"White silk boxers."

Naruto and Kiba shuddered and Naruto looked at Ino disapprovingly.

"I didn't actually expect you to answer that, but…whatever. Look, the point is Ino, Kurenai-sensei told all you girls to be more serious and none of you did. Kiba and I are going to need you to back us up and we can't do that if you have Sasuke on the brain."

Ino hung her head and Naruto sighed. He hadn't meant for this to be a bash at her abilities or integrity. He cautiously put a hand on her shoulder and shook her.

"Ino, we just got accepted as ninjas. We're adults now. We have to be serious about this. We can still have fun and everything, but there's a time and place for it."

She remained silent for a moment and then looked up at him with a very pissed look on her face.

"Just get dog boy to talk so we can go home."

"Umm…ok Ino. Kiba?"

Kiba was somewhat uneasy now. Joking was definitely not something to do when a female was pissed off. He'd learned that much from his sister and mother. Best thing to do was to give a generalized version of his abilities and retreat to a safer distance. Hopefully, she'd be better tomorrow.

"Yeah ok. I'm pretty good with my family's jutsus. I can do the Juujin bunshin and Akamaru and I have started synchronizing pretty well. I'm still attempting to get another family jutsu down at the moment, but I'll keep that under wraps for later. I'm really good at taijutsu, up there with Naruto and Sasuke. Other than that, I don't got much."

He turned to Naruto and frowned.

"I almost forgot. What the hell was that bunshin today? That thing was able to cast a jutsu. Normal bunshins can't do that."

Ino's head flew up and stared at Naruto, who suddenly felt like he was under scrutiny.

"That was my Kage bunshin. It's a solid clone that has its own chakra pathways. Jiji taught it to me as a gift. It's really useful."

"Can we learn it?"

"It takes a lot of chakra guys. I don't think you have enough. I have a lot of excess chakra so it's easy for me. It splits your chakra in half so I don't think it'd be a good idea for you to learn it yet."

Kiba sighed heavily and slumped his shoulders.

"Bummer. It looked pretty cool. It would have gone great with the jutsu I'm trying to learn."

The three sat in uncomfortable silence for a while until Kiba hopped to his feet, Akamaru tumbling from his lap. The puppy got to his feet and growled at Kiba, who looked between his teammates sheepishly.

"Well, I think we've said all that needs to be said. I'm going home now. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

The two blondes waved as he jogged off, Akamaru following him closely. Ino was just about to walk off when a hand closed around her wrist. She followed the arm to its owner and found Naruto.

"You and I need to talk."

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If Ino had ever been told that she'd be walking beside the Hokage's grandson on the way to a restaurant to eat, she'd have scoffed and then brained the offending person upside the head. Not that she found Naruto unattractive, but she wanted _Sasuke_. And if eating with Naruto ruined her chances because Sasuke saw her…

Naruto, as if reading her mind, coughed and she cut her eyes toward him.

"It's not a date Ino. I just want to talk to you over something to eat. I'm starving and I'm sure you're hungry as well. I don't think this'll hurt your chances with Sasuke any more than usual."

"It better not. I don't want Sasuke-kun thinking I'm unavailable."

Naruto sighed. He'd been doing a lot of that that day. He opened the door to the restaurant and let Ino walk ahead of him. Her respect for him rose a tiny notch. Not many guys his age would have done that. A waiter showed them to a corner booth that Naruto requested and they settled in after giving drink orders.

Naruto had wanted to put off this particular conversation till a later date, but Ino's mood earlier had hastened what had to be said. His team couldn't function if Ino was going to fret about Sasuke all the time. He had thought once upon a time that she was getting better, but apparently she'd had a backslide.

The only question was, why?

Ino slurped at her water through a straw while Naruto nursed his tea. He didn't really know how to begin this.

"So…what did you want to talk about?"

Well, thank goodness Ino was Ino…

"I wanted to talk to you about you…and our team."

Ino raised a delicate eyebrow and was about to ask what he meant when the waiter came over for their orders. Ino ordered a very light salad. Naruto frowned at her order with disdain and ordered a bowl of sweet and sour soup. Ino looked at him quizzically.

"What?"

"Why did you order a salad? I offered to buy you dinner, not a snack."

"That is my dinner. I'm on a diet."

"You're a kunoichi, not a runway model. What do you need to diet for? If you train like you should, calories wouldn't be an issue."

"I have to look good so…"

"Sasuke will notice you. Am I right? Ino…you know he doesn't care about any of you."

Her eyes lit up with anger and her palms came down heavily on the table.

"Don't say those things about Sasuke-kun! He's had a hard life…"

"There are people who've had it harder. Sasuke's life is hard, as you put it, because he wants it to be that way. He could have a caretaker if he wanted one. He could have another family if he so chooses. He doesn't."

Ino straightened her back and stared at him haughtily.

"Yeah, well, no one can ever compare to the Uchiha clan."

Naruto narrowed his eyes and Ino sat back a bit. Not many people ever questioned her loyalty to Sasuke.

"Who can Ino? They were a strong clan, very powerful, but they weren't the strongest ever. Sasuke isn't the greatest thing since sliced bread."

"Coming from you, I think that's a little biased. The two of you don't get along after all."

Naruto fisted his hands in his hair and growled. He wasn't here to talk about Sasuke. He had to get back on track.

"Look Ino, I'm not here to talk about your wannabe boyfriend. I'm here to talk about you. Things like ordering small portions of food that can't possibly fill you up, stalking Sasuke instead of training, slacking in your studies…those things have to stop."

"I'll have you know…"

"No, I'll have _you_ know Ino. I'm not about to watch a teammate die because our team was unprepared as a whole. Sad as it may be, what Kiba said earlier was true. Either of us could take you on and win easily. I want you to think Ino. Think about the Sannin. Any one of them could take on the other and it would be a close fight. I want our team to be like that. We can still have fun, but we're going to have to get serious."

She looked down at the tablecloth, weighing his words. It wasn't like her father hadn't ever said those things before, but she had let it roll off as him being a father. Hearing it coming from a teammate however, made it seem a little more…real. The waiter, noticing the somber mood, sat the bowl and platter down as quietly as possible and told them to enjoy their meal, before scuttling away. Naruto moved his chair back and stood up, walking around the table and put a hand on Ino's shoulder.

"Ino, I know we're still not the best of friends, but we _are_ teammates now. We have to look out for each other. Sasuke and me may not see eye to eye but that doesn't mean you and I shouldn't. We need to look out for each other and that starts now. Teammates should know things about each other and we'll need to start hanging out more. Kiba might be a jerk sometimes, but he's our teammate too."

She looked up at him and he smiled back at her.

"Now, I know that salad isn't going to fill you up Ino. I might not be your best friend, but as your teammate I know a few things and I happen to know that you love sweet and sour soup. Eat it. I'll see you tomorrow."

She stared at him incredulously.

"How did you know that?"

He grinned and turned to walk away, calling back over his shoulder.

"Information gathering is another of my specialties."

Ino watched his back as he left and turned back to the soup and salad. With a smile she pulled the bowl closer and took a sip. Maybe being on a team with those two idiots wouldn't be so bad after all. Even if Kiba was a jerk and Naruto could be a little too serious, they at least were honest to her and wanted to know about her.

She finished eating and went to pay the bill, only to hear a swoosh of wind and found Naruto standing next to her, rubbing his head sheepishly.

"Almost forgot to pay the bill."

She blinked as he happily paid the man for a meal he didn't eat and then turned around to face her. He grinned widely and put his right hand before his face, index and middle fingers extended.

"Oh yeah, don't tell anybody what our team talked about today ok? We need the element of surprise as much as possible. Our team's abilities need to remain secret. That means don't tell your parents either."

She put a hand on her hip and smirked at him as she flipped her ponytail.

"Does Kiba know that?"

His eyes widened to impossible levels.

"Oh crap! I forgot to tell Kiba!"

With a poof he was gone, leaving a lone blonde girl staring at the spot where he'd been standing. Ino smiled and walked outside to head home. Her life was definitely going to be fun from here on out. She might not be on Sasuke's team, but this one was a close second. She doubted Sakura would actually be able to train with Sasuke blinding her all the time.

She rubbed her full tummy and trotted off home, thoroughly satisfied with her first true day as a genin.

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Kiba had taken his time going home, playing with Akamaru as they went and had run into Shino as he walked home. He laughed as the bug user explained how his test had went. Shino had practically had to bully and threaten Sakura and Sasuke into working with him to fight Kakashi and that hadn't helped. They'd run out of time, leaving a fuming Sasuke, a sad Sakura and an absolutely livid Shino. Not that it showed outside his coat.

The knotted eyebrows were a good indicator though.

They'd only passed when he had offered to share his bento with Sakura once they'd been given a second chance and Sasuke had followed suit, after some not so gentle nudging from Shino. His analytical mind had read beneath Kakashi's 'underneath the underneath' and he just had to get his teammates to understand.

He didn't take kindly to Kiba's needling at having such unsavory teammates and had threatened to neuter his friend if he didn't hush up. Kiba, being the canine he is, whimpered and bade his friend goodnight and a pleasant tomorrow, before scuttling off toward home. At least his teammates weren't stuck up…

His mother had greeted him when he came in the door and Kiba flopped down at the table, excited to tell her about his first day. She'd laughed that he had received Tora as his first mission and practically roared at his story of how Naruto had tried to assign his own mission. She'd affirmed that he had indeed assigned missions to the ninjas for several years, but that had been part of his job.

It then came time for him to tell her about the rest of his day and Kiba grinned.

"Oh you'll never believe this…Naruto told us a secret about himself."

Tsume nearly froze. Surely Naruto wasn't so reckless that he would tell his brand new teammates his most guarded secret? Before she or Kiba could speak a word, she felt a chakra signature in the air and heard the familiar swoosh as someone shunshined into her house. The sound of flesh clapping over flesh revealed Naruto with a hand over a wide-eyed Kiba's mouth.

The hilarity of the situation was not lost on Tsume. Either the boy had excellent luck or the most accurate sense of timing she had ever seen. Kiba began to struggle against his hold until Naruto bent down to whisper in his ear.

"Don't tell your mother anything I told you today. It's a huge secret Kiba, S-Class. My kekkei genkai isn't something to be spread around. I want it kept a secret. Can you do that?"

The brown haired boy nodded his head and Naruto released his grip on Kiba's mouth. Kiba took a huge gulp of air and glared at his teammate.

"Man Naruto, what was that all about? I hadn't said anything yet."

"You were going to. Don't say anything about what our team can do to anyone. That takes out the element of surprise."

"Not even my mom?"

"Especially your mom. She goes drinking with some other jounin and who knows what she might say."

Tsume frowned and put her hands on her hip.

"I _can_ hear you Uzumaki. I don't particularly like the slight against my character. You can take down a chuunin, but let's see how you do against a jounin."

Naruto grimaced and made his seal to shunshin away subtly as he spoke.

"Um…uh…you have a very lovely home Tsume-san. Are those real China plates?"

"Nice try brat. Come 'ere!"

Before Tsume could get around the table Naruto yelped and was gone. She stopped just short of Kiba who had thrown his arms up in defense and growled.

"I'll get him next time."

Kiba lowered his arms slowly and blinked as she went back to chopping up meat for supper.

"Hey Ma? What was that jutsu?"

"That was shunshin Kiba. When you get a bit better with your control, I'll teach it to you. Now go practice that jutsu with Akamaru until supper. I'll call you."

He was out the door as soon as she said that, with Akamaru bouncing behind him.

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Naruto stepped out of the swirl of leaves in the family's backyard and sighed heavily. Being on this team would be the death of him, he could feel it already. As soon as he opened the door, he was bowled over and back outside by a missile known as Konohamaru.

Naruto looked up dazedly at his younger brother, who sat on his chest with his arms crossed, a pout on his young face.

"Nii-san, you're supposed to teach me how to beat Jiji so I can become Hokage! How can you do that when you're never home?"

Naruto grunted and sat up, spilling the young boy onto his back.

"Ko…I can't be around all the time any more. I'm a ninja now. I have other responsibilities."

Konohamaru huffed and sat up.

"You always have responsibilities. You never have time to play. The only time we ever play is when you have a day off and those only happen on holidays."

Naruto sighed and smiled at his brother.

"How would you like to learn a certain Hokage beating jutsu Ko?"

Konohamaru was attentive immediately.

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Sarutobi sighed heavily as he walked toward the door of his home. He missed having Naruto around the office to shunshin them both home. That had been handy. He'd forgotten how long those walks were at his age. He smiled as he neared the door and jumped back when it flung open to reveal his youngest grandson.

"Hey Jiji! Check this out! Nii-san taught me a jutsu that could beat you."

'Ye Gods NO!'

"Here we go. Oiroke no jutsu!"

With a loud 'boomf' Konohamaru disappeared to be replaced with a very buxom, brownhaired version of Miss September in the Icha Icha Calendar. Sarutobi rocketed backwards and landed with a perverted smile on his face.

Unfortunately for Konohamaru, Eri happened to be walking by the door at that time.

"What the…who the hell are you? Father? Konohamaru? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING BOY?"

Konohamaru poofed back to his smaller self and cringed under his mother's gaze.

"Um…I was just beating Jiji with the jutsu Nii-san taught me…"

Eri's eyes lit up with indignant fury and before Konohamaru could scamper off, she collared him before shouting upstairs.

"UZUMAKI NARUTO! YOU GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE _NOW_!"

Naruto whimpered and melted through the floor to receive his punishment. Damn little snitching brothers and their whining…

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The following morning revealed three genin headed to their training ground from three different directions. They all entered the clearing to their training ground at the same time to see a very upbeat Kurenai smiling at them and all three turned to look at the others.

Ino was smiling and actually looked like she had come prepared to do damage today. D-Rank missions might be more physically exhausting than anything, but she was prepared to pull her weight…and maybe get another lunch out of Naruto. Kiba could come if he wanted. Free lunches were like crack to kunoichi.

Kiba looked energized and Akamaru was practically bouncing on his head in anticipation. They had gotten a little further along on their family jutsu and that please Kiba supremely.

Their third teammate didn't look so good though.

Naruto looked haggard and tired, like he'd been through the wringer. His eyes blinked sleepily and he yawned every few moments. Kurenai raised an eyebrow as she bade them to sit before her and snorted when Naruto collapsed like a tree that had been felled. Ino took the time to poke him in the side and he swatted her hand away while moaning.

"Leemee 'lone. 'M sleepy."

Kurenai giggled and nudged him with her foot while the other two laughed.

"And why, pray tell, are you so tired this morning? Have a wild night?"

Naruto looked up over his stomach long enough to blink at her and his head collapsed back to the ground as he stared blearily at the clouds.

"I taught my brother a certain unmentionable jutsu to make Jiji faint and mom got angry at me. Jiji made me run around Konoha until just before dawn and then told me to come to the training ground."

Kurenai quirked an eyebrow and nudged the sleepy genin again. It must have been some jutsu to make the Hokage punish him that bad.

"What did you teach your brother?"

"Not saying. You'd hurt me too."

"Naruto…what did you teach Konohamaru?"

He sighed and closed his eyes, opening them slowly. It took a lot of effort.

"My Oiroke no Jutsu."

His sensei's eyes narrowed dangerously and he gulped. He was too tired to fight the inevitable hurt that was coming.

"Does that entail what I think it does?"

"Probably."

She nodded her head and looked at the other two before returning to him.

"Did you learn your lesson? Or do I have to punish you as well?"

There was silence for several moments before she realized he was softly snoring. Ino giggled into her hand while Kiba and Akamaru rolled on the ground. Kurenai smiled and bent down to Akamaru's level, patting the puppy's head.

"Akamaru, be a dear and wake up Naruto-kun for me."

The white puppy yipped and bounded over onto Naruto's chest, licking his face the whole time. Naruto groaned and pushed Akamaru off his chest as he yawned.

"Ok, ok. I'm up. What are we doing first?"

Kurenai laughed quietly at his obvious discomfort. She'd be lucky if he didn't fall asleep on the job.

"As always, it's your choice as to what we do first. We can both have a team meeting and improve our teamwork and skills, or we can do a mission first. Your call."

Ino and Kiba voted for the mission first and had to jab Naruto in the side to wake him up again. He groggily fell in line behind them as they walked to the Hokage tower while Kurenai steered him in the right direction. Not the coolest way to start the morning or ask for a mission. Sarutobi took one look at Naruto, smirked, and gave them an easy mission gathering groceries for an elderly couple that lived on the outskirts of the village.

Kurenai accepted it with a bow and was about to lead her team out when Kakashi's team appeared behind her. While somewhat mildly surprised that he had been early, she looked at his team, almost as sleepy as Naruto. He'd probably told them to meet him at four in the morning.

Sasuke was in a bad mood since he had to wake up early and then wait and Sakura wasn't far behind him. She took one look at the mostly rosey Team Eight and growled. Naruto, not being very light on his feet, accidentally bumped her as he went past and Sakura raised her fist to hit him.

"Stupid idiot! Watch where you're going!"

Naruto may have been out of it, but his body recognized danger when it saw it. He deftly dodged the blow and wound around behind Sakura, barely registering what he was doing. Luckily, Kiba saw where this was headed and grabbed him around the waist in midstep and hauled him out the door before anyone could ask any questions, Ino and Kurenai right behind him.

Kakashi watched them leave and looked back at his genin. Sakura was shaking with anger, Sasuke looked somewhat pissed, and Shino looked bored. He wondered idly if any of them had noticed that Naruto had dodged that blow and was about to aim a kick at Sakura's head. The Hokage had seen it for sure. The signs were all there.

Kurenai had warned him. Uzumaki Naruto was a genin to watch for...even when he was nearly asleep.

His money was still on Sasuke when the eventual bout came though.

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Team Eight finished their mission quickly and with minimal difficulty, once they'd realized Naruto was totally out of it. They'd left him back at the training grounds lying down and returned two hours later to find him on his back with a toad perched upon his chest. Kurenai blinked twice and stared at it harder. The little toad looked at them, croaked, and bounced off Naruto's chest and into the bushes.

Kurenai sighed and shook the boy awake. Naruto rubbed his eyes and grinned. He felt much better after that nap. Kurenai told Kiba and Ino to spar, light contact only, and sat down next to Naruto.

"Feeling better?"

"Much. Did I miss anything?"

"Just a D-rank. I'll be expecting you to take more responsibility in this team Naruto."

He turned toward her and yawned.

"What do you mean sensei?"

"Naruto, every team has a team leader besides the jounin sensei. Ino's bossy enough to do it, Kiba's brash enough to do it, but only you have the true qualities to lead them. I can't be around all the time and you'll need to take direction."

Kurenai saw his confused look and decided to explain with more detail.

"I might be called away on a mission, like I'll explain in a moment. My services are needed above being a sensei after all. I'll need you to take control and keep the ball rolling so to speak. I'll need you to make sure they still train and keep on track."

Naruto looked over as Ino barely dodged a sweep kick from Kiba and cartwheeled away. He sighed and looked at his hands held in his lap.

"Why do I always have to be the responsible one?"

"Naruto, don't whine. It doesn't become you. All I'm asking is that you keep them on track and be a team leader. That's not so much to ask is it?"

He slumped his shoulders in defeat and sighed.

"No sensei."

Kurenai smiled and called for Ino and Kiba to come over. She knew it wasn't normal to call a training session so early but she had to do a quick courier mission for an important document to an outlying village. She informed her genin of where she'd be and what they should do the following day before going home to prepare. Kiba said he was going home to practice that jutsu again and bounded off.

Ino wanted to wheedle another meal and chat out of Naruto but turned around to find him gone. She huffed in annoyance and headed for home. Looked like she'd be arranging flowers for customer orders again. At the last moment, she decided to go spy on Sasuke. Surely a small peek wouldn't hurt…

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Naruto, now feeling somewhat energized, was searching for a certain someone. He wanted to know how Hinata's team had done and though he might find her with Chouji and Shikamaru at their favorite cloud watching spot. Sure enough, there the three were; Shikamaru on his back, Chouji sitting while stuffing his face, and Hinata with her knees pulled up to her chest, staring out at nothing. It was different from the way his team did things, but as the saying goes, to each his own.

"Hinata-chan!"

Hinata heard the familiar voice and turned her head so quickly Naruto thought she'd broken her neck. Her face visibly brightened when she confirmed it was him and stood while brushing the seat of her pants off.

"Naruto-kun! I'm so happy to see you."

He grinned as he jogged up and smirked down at his friends.

"Chouji…Lazy Ass…"

A 'troublesome' and happy smacking floated to his ears and he turned back to Hinata.

"Hinata-chan, I assume you guys passed. Care to tell me how?'

She nodded and clasped her hands behind her back.

"We had to find and capture Asuma-sensei. It was somewhat easy once I found his hiding place. Chouji herded him toward Shikamaru and Shikamaru captured him in his Kage Mane. We passed without any problems. How about you?"

"I had to give myself up to Anko-sensei so she could drink my blood while Kiba and Ino took on Kurenai-sensei."

"Why would you do that? Surely you could have all taken her on?"

"I'd rather not traumatize my teammates by unleashing Anko-sensei upon them."

Hinata nodded and looked downward to her hands that were now held in front of her. Naruto frowned and remembered what he'd come there for.

"Oh yeah! I was wondering Hinata. Would you like to go eat with me somewhere?"

Her face lit up again as she bobbed her head up and down with unbridled glee. Naruto chuckled and led her away toward her favorite tea stand. He didn't see the smirks on Chouji's and Shikamaru's faces. Shikamaru turned to his rotund friend and grinned.

"See? I told you he'd ask her out eventually. It was just a matter of time."

Chouji smacked on his chips and looked up to the clouds again.

"You know…she's gonna be spaced out tomorrow. Good thing Asuma-sensei is easy going."

Shikamaru turned his attention back to the clouds and shut his eyes.

'At least it's not Ino with Sasuke. That would be way too troublesome…and annoying.'

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Naruto led a giddy Hinata into her tea stand and ordered a plate of dango and two cups of tea. He noted that she had calmed down somewhat and was now smiling shyly. He thought back to what he'd read in a book on relationships one time. First, you had to get to know the girl. Well...he pretty much knew Hinata. Make some small talk. He could do that. He wasn't counting this as a first date, more like information gathering to see if she was interested.

He grinned at her and leaned back slightly in his seat.

"So…let's talk about what we've missed with each other since graduating."

**I haven't totally made up my mind if I'll do the Wave mission or make up something, but I'll probably include it. After all, there are certain situations in the Naruto world that happen regardless of whether or not Naruto grew up with a family or not. Still trying to develop things between characters and that takes time. Let me know what you think.**


	18. That Had Better Not Be Cowshit

And here's Chapter 18. I was a little slow on this one but only because I was trying to do it justice. I think I got it right and MatrixExplosion said it sounded good to him, so here we are. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...**Take This**_ by Staind._

Now onto other matters...This may seem a bit childish to some, but I have to get this off my chest. I recently got a PM from a person named Iron Monkey Fist who told me that all my stories were the same and were boring and unimaginative, with no plot whatsoever. I told him that I fill a niche on this site and asked him to point out to me where the plot is for the manga nowadays. I challenged Mister Fist to write something with more passion and intrigue than me and I'd advertise it for him on my bio page and in my Author's Notes. He declined by calling me immature and telling me I had no life because I write fanfiction.

Now folks, I might not be the most interesting person in the world, but I do have a life. I just bought a house. I work eight, nine hours a day. I'm not a sociable person. I write stories because I find it therapeutic and fun. If you say I have no life because I write the damn things, then I find it a bit hypocritical when you read the stories and poke fun at people for writing. So, Mister Fist, you told me it was your given right to say whatever you want to whoever you want. Your absolutely right. It is your right. Just as it is my right to say what I want to you. I won't degrade myself by insulting you here, but I still challenge you to write something better than me. Grammar notwithstanding, I want you to write something with more passion than I do.

That's all. On with the story.

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

"So…let's talk about what we've missed with each other since graduating."

Hinata stirred her tea and glanced back up to the blonde sitting across from her. It had been nearly a week since she'd last been alone with Naruto and it felt good to just bask in the glow his presence brought her.

"Well, we just went on our first D-rank today and we had to paint a fence for an elderly couple. They were really nice and invited us in for cookies once we were done."

Naruto chuckled and took a sip on his tea.

"I'll bet you had to beat Chouji off them huh?"

Hinata giggled and relaxed a bit more, Naruto's casual demeanor giving her a sense of peace and companionship.

"Not really. Shikamaru held Chouji back with his Kage Mane while the rest of us got what we wanted and then let him loose. It still unsettles me a bit how he eats. It's like watching a Tasmanian devil eat."

Naruto nodded and waited for her to sip at her hot tea and let a small smile grace his face upon hearing her sigh of contentment. This was probably one of the few rare times she ever got to relax and let her guard down…but then again, it was a rare time for him as well.

"So…anything new happen in recent times besides that?"

"No."

Naruto frowned slightly. Usually he'd have a myriad of topics to talk about but trying to figure out whether or not Hinata would be receptive to being asked out was a chore in itself. The girl was perceptive to a fault and any mistimed twitch or blink would count against him if he wanted to be suave about this.

Unfortunately for Naruto, his luck only manifested on the battlefield. He could talk to Hinata as a friend no problem. Trying to find the right words just to see if she'd maybe go on a date with him was damn near impossible. He couldn't imagine actually trying to ask her out.

"Um…how's it going at home? Hanabi still being a brat?"

Hinata gave him a small smile and lowered her glass back to the table.

"She can be. Father is still very strict when it comes to my training and studies. Hanabi misses seeing you around the compound. I heard her mumbling something the other day about things not being fun anymore."

Naruto snorted at the thought of the stoic little girl mumbling to herself and took a chug of the now cooler tea. Almost just the right temperature.

"I can't imagine Hanabi sulking about not seeing me, even if it is only because I cause trouble wherever I go. How about Neji? Is he any better since he started working with Gai-sensei?"

Hinata's eyes looked down at the table quickly and Naruto was immediately sorry he'd asked.

"No. Neji still acts quite cold toward Hanabi and me. I belive he still blames me for his father's death."

Naruto nodded his head and gripped his tea glass a little harder. He might have to have words with his one-time friend at a later date. The conversation had taken a downward turn and it was now his responsibility to make it swing upward.

"Hey Hinata? Can I ask you something?"

She smiled and sipped at her tea.

"You already are."

"Har de har. Is there anybody you like from our class?"

He smirked slightly at the little snort she gave when she choked on her tea and clapped her on the back when she began coughing. She turned wide eyes to him and blinked.

"I…well, you see…um…yes, I do like someone from our class."

Naruto smiled and pressed onward. Obstacle one, gone.

"Oh? Care to share as to who it is?"

Her hair whipped back and forth wildly as she shook her head hard, eliciting a chuckle from the amused blonde. He swore she could power a city block with the heat rushing to her face.

"Can I get any hints?"

Hinata ducked down behind her coat's collar and tapped her fingers together. She had grown out of the habit somewhat in recent years but like all bad habits, they returned to comfort in times of stress. She tried to be as inconcpicous as possible about the boy's identity but she was sure he would guess it.

"Um…he's…um…he's very smart."

'Uh huh. Kind of narrows it down, unless her definition of smart is broader than mine.'

"He's…very sweet."

'Well, that definitely doesn't narrow it down. Lots of guys act sweet toward her.'

"He's very handsome...to me at least."

'I'm the only handsome devil I know…'

"…and…and I've…I've known him a long time."

'That narrows down the field more. Still not one hundred percent though.'

Naruto smiled at her and leaned on his elbows, putting his chin on his folded hands, grinning like a loon.

"So…you've got a crush on…Shino?"

Hinata squeaked and glared at him halfheartedly.

"Shino-kun is very sweet at times and _very_ intelligent, but I don't know anything about what he looks like."

'Well…there's a point.'

"Shikamaru?"

"He's my teammate…and he's so lazy."

'That boy will never get a date.'

Naruto put on a forlorn look and patted himself on the back for being such a good actor.

"Ah…I see. So it's Sasuke."

Hinata spluttered indignantly and stood up, her tea still warm.

"No, it's not Sasuke. I just remembered I have somewhere to be right now. If you'll excuse me."

Naruto watched as she walked out in a huff and sighed before chugging the rest of his tea and leaving some coins on the table. He needed to catch her and apologize. He'd only been teasing…

"Shikamaru's right. Women are troublesome."

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Hinata was not known for throwing temper tantrums. She was the epitome of grace and dignity most of the time, if a little shy. As she stomped along the streets (to a Hyuuga that would amount to walking slightly fast and scowling) she fumed on the inside.

'Idiot! I've known him my whole life, told him before that he's handsome, and gave him enough pieces of the puzzle a three year old could put it together and what does he say? _Oh, it must be Sasuke._ Idiot.'

They hadn't been far from her home when they'd gone to the tea shop and even though she was happy she had spent time with Naruto, right now she was frustrated and upset with him. It was no secret she liked him. Hell, she practically used to feed him at lunch time. People made jokes all the time about what a cute couple they made.

As she reached the gate and nodded to the guards, a familiar voice made her halt.

"Hinata-chan."

Hinata inwardly groaned as she slowly turned around. It wasn't very often that she got mad at Naruto and right now she really didn't want to deal with him. She knew she was being silly about the whole affair, but being angry felt good sometimes.

Her dignity only stretched so far after all…

"Can I help you Naruto? Or are you here to play the guessing game again?"

The guards perked up immediately and straightened up with small grins on their faces. It wasn't often one got to see Hyuuga Hinata angry and she seemed most upset with the young blonde at the moment.

"Come on Hinata, I was only teasing you. You know that…"

"I do _not_ like Uchiha Sasuke. He is absolutely not my type. I'd as soon kiss a dog as Sasuke."

One of the guards snorted and Hinata glared at him as he regained his composure, before being elbowed by the other guard. She turned her attention back to the blonde and stood a little straighter.

"I'm going inside for the night Naruto. Good evening and I'll see you another day."

He blinked as she walked through the gate and the guards shut it behind her. His plans somewhat ruined about teasing her, he blurted out the first thing to come to mind.

"How about a date, you and me?"

Hinata froze. A date with Naruto was something she had wanted to experience for a couple years now. She forced herself to remain calm. Being excited would not help her case. After all, she had him hook, line, and sinker now.

"I shall think about it. If you wish to ask me for a date, you must first ask my father for permission. I cannot go without his say so."

Naruto paled and gripped the bars tighter as the amused guards fought back their laughter. The two had activated their Byakugans so they could watch both children's faces and they had to say, it was priceless.

"Your…father? Aw, come on Hinata-chan, don't make me ask him…"

Hinata allowed herself a small grin in victory. Kiba was right about one thing. She did have a nasty little joking streak in her and it seemed to manifest around Naruto.

"I'm afraid I'm serious Naruto-kun. Whenever you are ready to schedule a date, tell me and I'll arrange for you to meet my father. Good night."

Hinata walked with a normal gait to the door and slid it open. As soon as it had shut, she bolted for her room and threw herself onto the bed, squealing into her pillow with glee. She had done it. She had one upped Uzumaki Naruto and gotten a date out of the deal.

Plus side, she got to watch him squirm, something he wasn't used to doing.

Things were looking up for the new genin.

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Naruto blinked as the door to the house shut and slowly let go of the bars before turning around and walking off.

"Aw man. Now I gotta talk to Hiashi-sama just to get a date? That ain't right…Knew I shouldn't have teased her. Simple information gathering session turned into a complete clusterfuck…"

The two Hyuuga guards watched and listend as he grumbled and kicked rocks in the road until he was out of sight and burst into laughter. The one on the right finally caught his breath and wiped his eyes.

"That was one of the funniest things I've seen in years. Who'd have thought the girl had it in her?"

"I know. Did you see his face? Priceless."

The older of the guards nodded and tapped his spear to the ground again, his breathing finally returning to normal.

"They do make a cute couple though. Already argue like a married couple even. Ah, young love…"

The younger of the two snorted and straightened back up.

"You're too sentimental for your own good."

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Naruto opted not to tell his family until after his date how things went, if and when the date came around. He didn't want his mother fawning all over him and making him wear something uncomfortable, like a tie. Nor did he want his father explaining the virtues of waiting for sex or the principle of prophylactics.

That was a lecture he could do without again. He never wanted to hear the word prophylactic again…ever.

He had decided the best thing he could do was talk to Kurenai-sensei after practice one day when she got back. In the meantime, as he walked to his team's training grounds, he pondered on what they should do first. A mission would be best as it would probably help clear his head and then they could practice.

Naruto entered the clearing and found no one else around. With nothing else to do, he melted into the ground and waited for his teammates to arrive. Kiba and Akamaru showed up first and Kiba leaned against a tree with the puppy in his lap as they waited, stroking his fur. Naruto noticed that Kiba looked somewhat beatup and assumed it was the technique he was trying to perfect at home that tired him out.

Ino walked up next with an easy gait, her purple outfit perfectly ironed out and the hooks on it gleaming in the sunlight. Naruto smirked when she put her hands on her hips and startd complaining about his not being present. Kiba shrugged and said he'd be along soon probably. Time to have a little fun…

Naruto moved until he was just behind Ino and slowly rose from the ground with a mischievious look in his eyes. Kib, being a consummate prankster himself, said and did nothing to give it away to Ino, although his eyes did brighten considerably. Ino was unsuspecting and that made it perfect. Naruto finally stopped as his feet connected with the ground and grinned as he leaned toward her ear.

"BOO!"

Ino shrieked and leapt straight into the air, screaming her head off. Naruto grinned and took a tiny step forward, catching Ino in his arms as she came down. The blonde girl wrapped her arms around his neck and looked up at him with wide eyes as his twinkled back at her.

"Good morning Ino. Beautiful day huh?"

Her visage went from surprised to vengeful in less than a second as slender fingers replaced her arms while she ground out his name through clenched teeth.

"_Naruto_!"

The blonde boy stopped laughing when his windpipe was suddenly blocked and grabbed her wrists, easily yanking her hands away as she growled and tried to choke him again.

"Aw come on Ino. It was funny. No need to get violent."

"It wasn't funny. It was hilarious!"

"Shut up Kiba! And I'll get violent if I want to."

Kiba stopped his loud guffawing and stuck to snickering quietly as Naruto lowered Ino back to the ground and rubbed his neck gingerly.

"All right, now that we're all present, we can go do a mission and then practice. Kurenai-sensei said that she was putting me in charge for the day and that all we had to do was our normal duties before we could go home. Sound good?"

His teammates nodded and they walked off toward the Hokage tower to get their D-rank over with. All three sighed simultaneously as they stood in line and Naruto turned to Ino, hoping Kiba wasn't paying attention.

"Hey Ino, can I ask you a question?"

"You already are?"

'Huh, that sounds familiar…'

"I have a problem and you being a girl, I thought you might be able to help me."

She perked up slightly and smiled. It wasn't often that Uzumaki Naruto ever had a problem and being asked to help was even rarer. She might get to enjoy this.

"What do you need? Girl problems?"

"In a manner of speaking."

She'd just been taking a stab in the dark on that one and had somehow hit the nail on the head. If she could have pumped her arm in victory, she would have. But that would have been gloating and Yamanaka Ino didn't gloat…yet. She needed more information before she said anything.

"Who's the girl?"

"That's for me to know. I'd just like a little advice about what to do on a date."

"Oh, well, that's easy. A movie, dinner, a walk in a park perhaps, something romantic. I thought you were smart."

He frowned and they moved forward in the line. Just one more team and they could get their mission.

"I am smart. I've never been on a date before though and I thought maybe you could give me some pointers."

"What makes you think she knows anything Naruto? She chased Sasuke for all those years. She's never been on a date."

Ino whipped around and glared at the now in-the-conversation Inuzuka.

"I know what a girl wants though Kiba, unlike you. You wouldn't know taste if it ran up your leg and bit you."

Kiba set his jaw and growled slightly.

"Well, you wouldn't know anything either. You've never been on a date no matter how many guys ask you because you're always hung up on Sasuke. What do you know about dating?"

Her retort was to slug him in the gut and turn back around to face Naruto.

"Don't listen to mutt boy Naruto. Girls want to be wined and dined and shown a good time. We want to be treated like princesses."

Naruto nodded and stepped up to receive their mission.

"Thanks Ino. I have an idea of what to do now."

She frowned and stepped up beside him while Kiba did the same on his other side.

"But I didn't tell you what to do…"

"Don't worry. I got it. Team Eight reporting for duty."

Sarutobi smiled at the team and rested his chin on his folded hands, his pipe blowing smoke around his head.

"Ah, good to see you three actually showed up since Kurenai is gone. Most teams would shirk duty, you know, and take a day off. Now then, let's see what to give you…"

Team Eight stood silently as the Hokage flipped through the scroll of D-ranks and finally 'hm'ed to himself in agreement.

"I think that you should all be able to handle this one, even with Kurenai absent. There's a farmer out in the eastern sector that had a few of his cows break out and he needs them to be caught and brought back. Your mission is to catch the bovine fencejumpers and herd them back. Any questions?"

Naruto raised his hand slowly.

"Do you always give us the missions involving animals and chasing or is it just me?"

"It's just you. Now, off you go. There are cows to catch and whatnot."

Sarutobi waved his hand dismissively and Team Eight glared as they left. Naruto sighed and slumped his shoulders.

"Well, since this will probably take most of the day, let's just use this as a practice session too. Kiba, we'll need yours and Akamaru's tracking skills for this one. Ino, can you mind walk in animals?"

She put a finger to her chin and 'hmm'ed to herself.

"I guess it's possible. I've never really tried it before and I don't remember daddy telling me anything about it. Why?"

He shrugged and they continued on to their destination.

"I have a theory. Kiba, can you and Akamaru track them if we get a scent?"

Kiba scoffed and Akamaru yipped.

"A cow is a cow man. If we can find some sign of where they've gone then we can sniff them out. I don't know how you intend to herd them back though. There's only three of us."

Naruto grinned and continued on.

"I'll take care of that. Don't you worry. We just need to find out where they've gone and how many there are."

Ino and Kiba just followed along after him, intrigued as to where this would go.

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Kurenai followed along behind them as they went, enshrouded in a jutsu that obscured both smell and sight. She'd spoken with the Hokage and had finished her courier mission early, wanting to observe how her team did without her. She had a suspicion that they would gel together very well.

This type of mission would require the cooperation of all three since they weren't allowed to harm the cows and had to instead herd them back. A picture perfect example of teamwork for Konoha ninjas.

She followed along behind them smiling the whole time. It might have been a little presumptious to name Naruto the team leader, especially after their talk the other night about all his responsibilities, but he was fit for the job. The boy exuded leadership quality. He was born to inspire and lead.

At the very least she might have to subtly help them herd the cows…or watch one of them get gored and sent flying. Either way was entertaining.

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The old farmer had given them a rundown of what they were facing and Naruto's eye twitched the more time went on. The old fool had basically let a part of his fence rot away, always saying 'I'll fix it later' and putting it off and now more than half his herd had gotten out. Over two hundred of the bovine fugitives!

Kiba and Akamaru had found them with relative ease. It wasn't like the walking slabs of beef were trained not to leave a trail after all. They were all holed up in a wide expanse of grass between the old man's farm and a small village. Naruto had sighed and turned to his teammates.

"Ok guys, here's the deal. We have to herd these damnable hamburgers back to the farm and then patch the fence so they can't get out again. Now, I think we should observe them to see if maybe we can't convince them to amble on back with little effort."

Kiba grunted and shifted his weight on his feet.

"Why don't me and Akamaru just go down there and scare them back to the farm?"

Ino huffed and crossed her arms.

"Because then they'll scatter Kiba and we'll have to catch them all over again. They're in a central location right now."

"So? They'll be trying to break away anyway. How are the three of us going to keep them rounded up?"

Naruto grinned and tapped his temple.

"Imagination Kiba. What if I told you there weren't just three of us but almost thirty? Could we keep the cattle in line then?"

"Well yeah. But there are only three of us Naruto. I might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer but I _can_ count. Three doesn't equal thirty."

Naruto's grin became smug and he folded his arms.

"Not unless you're me. I can use Kage Bunshin and we'll have a whole team of wranglers."

Kurenai's eyebrows rose as she watched him create thirty clones, much to the shock of his teammates. That was more than even she could do. Hell, Kakashi might have problems with that. She beat back the urge to whistle and kept watching.

"Now that we have enough people, let's start easing these things back to the farm. Akamaru, try not to scare any of them by barking ok?"

The little puppy yipped in response and clambered up to Kiba's head.

"Ok team. Let's move!"

Kurenai watched transfixed as her students began to slowly move the cattle out back toward the farm. Naruto's clones ran back and forth, giving instructions and keeping wannabe runners from breaking away. Kiba and Akamaru darted in and out, snapping at edgy cattle and moving them back into the herd.

Ino had been instructed to stay with a clone of Naruto's for when he was certain that a contingency of his plan was working. Fifteen minutes into the cattle drive, he saw what he was looking for.

"Ino! See that old red cow at the front? She's the one all the rest follow. Get her to lead them and the rest follow. If I get you up there, can you try to use Shintenshin to manipulate her?"

Ino nodded slowly and was swept onto the clones back. She wrapped her arms around its neck and held on as it bounded ahead of the herd before stopping a few feet in front of the old cow. The red bovine watched them warily and Ino quickly made her sign.

"I don't know if this will work…"

"Just do it and we'll see."

"Shintenshin no Jutsu."

Ino felt her spirit leave her body and when next she opened her eyes she was staring at her slumped form on the Naruto's shoulders. Casting her gaze around she saw cows on all sides of her and turned back to the Naruto clone to tell him to take care of her body.

"Mooooo…moo?"

The clone's shoulders began to shake from laughter and it jumped away with her body to the side. Another clone came up and moved beside her.

"Just walk forward, Ino, toward the farm. You can get out when we get there. And don't worry about your body. I'll take good care of it."

"Moooo…"

The clone clapped a hand over its mouth and its eyes turned into u-shapes.

"Please Ino, don't try to talk. You'll make me laugh."

The cow's eyes hardened and it butted him with its head.

"Mooo!"

The clone scuttled away towards Kiba and Ino began to lead the herd home. Kiba quirked an eyebrow as Naruto's clone settled in beside him.

"What was that all about?"

The clone snorted and cut its eyes to him.

"All she can do is moo. She can't say anything."

Kiba laughed hard, nearly scaring several of the cows.

"At least it's an improvement from her normal bitching. Be funny if she oinked instead of mooed."

Both clone and dog-boy laughed hard at that one.

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The farmer was ecstatic to see them all and was more than a little surprised as the Narutos and Kiba herded the cattle back inside before hastily fixing the hole in the fence. The old cow blocked off the rest of the cattle from leaving and turned to Naruto with hard eyes.

"Moooo!"

Naruto leaned over to Kiba and whispered to him.

"I think she wants her body back. Go get my clone please."

Kiba snickered and ran off to find said clone, returning only a couple minutes later to find Naruto riding on the back of the now bucking cow.

"Yeeha! Giddy up!"

"MOOOOO!"

As soon as Ino saw her body, she released the jutsu and clobbered the clone carrying her when she regained control of her motor functions. She bolted over the fence before Kiba could grab her and ran straight for Naruto. Kiba stopped short of jumping over the fence and placed Akamaru on his head.

"You're gonna want to see this boy."

Ino leapt into the air, tackling the laughing Naruto off his ride and to the ground. His laughter died immediately when he felt a squish beneath him and frowned as he looked up into an enraged Yamanaka's eyes.

"Ino, get off me. You've done enough damage for the moment."

"Like hell! I'm gonna…"

His eyes hardened and he grabbed her arms before she could swing.

"Ino, get off me now. I'm laying in cow shit."

She blinked and looked down at him, noticing the uncomfortable look on his face. The scent hit her nose all of a sudden and she leapt up from the ground.

"Ewww! Gross, Naruto! Go wash off!"

He merely sighed and removed his shirt, tossing it to the side. He ignored Ino's blush and Kiba's howling, deciding instead to take command once again.

'That thing's ruined.'

"All right guys, let's go home. We'll tell the farmer he can drop off our pay and we'll head home. I need a fucking shower…"

Kurenai raced off toward Konoha ahead of them, thoroughly satisfied with her team's performance. With that kind of teamwork, they'd be a shoo in for Chuunin in the future. She'd just have to groom them a little more.

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Sarutobi had been most amused by the shirtless Naruto and his…pungent scent as they entered the office and moreso by the looks the young Yamanaka was throwing his heir apparent. He'd given the three his obligatory good job speech and sent them on their way, reminding his grandson to take a shower and learn to wear deodorant.

The withering glare Naruto sent him had only made him laugh more.

Naruto had bid his team farewell and stalked off home, pausing only to say hello to his mother and explain his current state of undress and the permeating odor of cow shit in her house. He fumed on his way up the stairs to his room.

She hadn't had to laugh so damn hard at him…

He had sighed happily as the hot water hit him, washing away the troubles and cow patty of the day. His mind went from the mission of the day to his budding love life and what he was going to have to do to get that date. He couldn't very well offer her one and then just not follow up.

He stepped out of the shower and toweled off before heading back to his bedroom. He'd need to be dressed accordingly to see Hiashi. He could only hope he'd be able to sneak out of the house without seeing his mother.

Fate, it seemed, had deemed him her bitch however…

"And where are you going all dressed up young man?"

Naruto cringed as he spun to face his mother, her hands on her hips, her face in an amused smirk.

"Does my little Naru-chan have a date?"

Naruto sighed and looked up at her with soulful eyes.

"I don't yet, no, but I'm going to ask Hiashi-sama if I can take Hinata-chan on one."

His mother's excited squeal grated on his ears and he gasped as she enveloped him in a hug.

"Oh I'm so happy! You two will make a cute couple! I can't wait to tell your father."

"MOM! I'm just going to ask him if I can. Nothing is official yet."

"I'll have to call up the family and let them know our little Naru-chan is growing up…"

Naruto sighed and walked outside, shutting the door quietly behind him while his mother ranted on and straightened out his gray kimono. He hated the thing, but he knew that Hiashi thrived on formality. Hell, when the man took a piss, everything probably had to be in perfect order…

He'd just have to do this and get it over with. No sense in beating around the bush. He nodded to the two guards on duty, mildly wondering what their barely heard snickering was all about as he was ushered to Hiashi's study. The Hyuuga leading him nodded and knocked twice on the door.

"Enter."

Naruto gulped and steeled himself as he walked inside.

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Hiashi knew that the blonde would come one day. He just hadn't thought it would be so soon. He was just like his mother in that respect, way too impatient. Hinata had told him of their little arrangement and what had brought it about.

He'd nearly laughed at the absurdity of it. His daughter, timid little Hinata, leading Uzumaki Naruto around by the short hairs. It was entirely laughable.

Upon seeing the boy's state of dress and the way he carried himself, he could easily see that he was at least taking this seriously. That was good. He needed to take this seriously. This was Hiashi's eldest daughter they were discussing after all.

"Naruto-san, welcome. What can I do for you?"

Naruto knelt down on the pillow before Hiashi's desk and gave the man a quick bow before straightening up again.

"Hiashi-sama, I would like to ask you something concerning Hinata-chan…"

**Ta-Da! Let me know what you think.**


	19. The Infamous 'Father Talk' Gone Awry

And here's Chapter 19. Officially the longest chapter ever. I hope you guys like this one. Over 12k words. Enjoy. Readers, Reviewers, Thank you...**Rhinestone Cowboy**_ by Glen Campbell._

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

"Hiashi-sama, I would like to ask you something concerning Hinata-chan…"

Hiashi quirked his eyebrow ever so slightly and folded his arms. This was the first time he had ever gotten to play the protective father to one of his daughters and he was going to enjoy it. The problem was that Naruto was not a shy person about asking for something and the boy didn't scare easy. That made Hiashi's job a little harder but would make the end result all the sweeter.

"And what would that be Naruto-san?"

The blonde sighed heavily and looked off to the side.

"I'm sure Hinata has spoken to you of an arrangement we made?"

"She might have. Tell me what this arrangement is to jog my memory."

"Well, I opened my mouth and made Hinata-chan angry and the only thing I could think of at the moment to appease her was to take her on a date. She informed me that you were very traditional and that I would have to ask you first. What I'm asking is do I have your permission to take her on a date?"

Hiashi sat for a while with his eyes closed. He had already made his decision when Hinata told him but wanted to tell the children himself. He opened his eyes and turned to the door, calling out to the guard at the door.

"Have Hinata brought here please."

The guard bowed and left to retrieve her. Naruto fidgeted a bit and readjusted his legs. He hated this formal position of sitting.

"Hiashi-sama, can't you just tell me your decision?"

Hiashi cracked one eye open and frowned slightly.

"Hush. This concerns both of you and as such, I believe you should both be told my decision at the same time."

While his visage remained stern on the outside, on the inside Hiashi was cracking up. This was the most fun he'd had in a while, making the boy squirm. The door creaked open and Hinata stepped in and took a seat next to Naruto. Hiashi opened both eyes and looked at both of them long and hard.

"I made my decision when my daughter first informed me of your arrangement. I remember being young and the feeling of attraction to girls my age."

Hinata and Naruto both winced, seeing that this was headed for a reminiscence speech of great magnitudes.

"But…I also remember the awkwardness of that age and the fact that no one is truly ready for anything on that level. My answer to the two of you is no, you may not go on a date at the moment."

When Naruto leaned forward and opened his mouth to protest, Hiashi raised his hand to silence him. He frowned at the despondent look on Hinata's face and knew that an explanation was at hand.

"Understand you two, that I am in no way putting a halt on any future relationship the two of you may have. I am simply saying that the two of you have many more responsibilities that you need to grow into and a relationship takes time and effort to work. It is my belief that you two should wait at least a couple more years."

"But father…"

Hiashi sighed and put his hands in the sleeves of his robe, silently wishing his wife was still alive to help him explain the situation.

"Hinata, please. I know what you are going to say and the answer is still no. I know I am harsh on you in your studies but this is not me talking as a clan leader. This is me speaking as your father. The two of you are too young to think about things of this magnitude at the moment."

Naruto's eyes grew hard and he stood, making both Hinata's and Hiashi's eyes go wide. He was breaking decorum and he knew it, but he had a question that he needed answered.

"Hiashi-sama, come with me to another room please. I have a question for you. Hinata-chan, do not look in on us with your Byakugan. He'll have his active to make sure you aren't peeping."

She nodded somewhat fearfully and watched as her father followed the blonde boy into another room.

Hiashi smiled as he followed Naruto to the next room. The boy could have a commanding presence when need be and that no doubt came from being around the Sandaime all his life. Once the door was sufficiently locked, the look on Naruto's face became dire as he faced Hiashi.

"I want you to answer me truthfully Hiashi-sama. I will stand by your decision no matter what but I want you to be honest with me. Are you saying no because you are being a concerned father and want to protect both of us from something we might not be ready for? Or are you doing this because of _it_?"

Hiashi's eyes widened exponentially at the question and for a moment he had no idea how to answer without getting in trouble. Naruto sighed and shook his head.

"I started the topic and you are absolved from any blame at the moment. Once we leave this room it's another story, but for now answer my question. Is it because of what I carry that you won't let me date Hinata-chan?"

Hiashi's eyes hardened and he glared at the blonde before him. He noticed with some pride, having known the boy his whole life, that Naruto didn't even flinch. Yes, one day he might make a fine suitor for Hinata. For the moment however…

"I am shocked and appaled that you would put me in with such company Naruto. I have invited you into my home since you were little and have thought no ill of you. I have let you play with my daughter. The two of you grew up together. I'm hurt, I truly am."

"You still haven't answered my question."

"No. I don't blame you for what you hold. I don't hold it against you and it is in no way a factor of you dating my daughter. I say no to the two of you dating because you are both thirteen and have no idea what you are doing. You are both new genin and as such, have duties that will interfere with your lives. You need to experience life a little more before you delve into the dating scene."

Naruto frowned and hung his head slightly.

"But…practice makes perfect right? What if we're meant for each other and this is our missed chance?"

Hiashi put a hand on Naruto's shoulder and looked the boy in the eye.

"If the two of you are meant to be, then you are meant to be and a couple years will not make a difference. You two need to find out what your lives as ninjas are going to be like before you try a love life. Trust me, I know how hard it is to live life as a ninja and as the significant other of someone. Hinata's mother was not a ninja and it was hard on her. Imagine the two of you having conflicting schedules and not seeing each other for days on end. It would be hard."

Naruto sighed and nodded his head. Everything Hiashi had said was true. Perhaps…waiting would be the best thing. Until then, he and Hinata could hang out with each other in their down time. Romance could come later.

"Would it still be acceptable to go out to dinner as friends?"

"Perfectly acceptable. Just save the romance for when you're older. You'll know if the two of you are meant to be together when the time is right. Young people are always in a rush to grow up and romance is no exception. Enjoy your youth, for it is fleeting."

He looked at Naruto quizzically when the boy groaned and rubbed his eyes.

"What is the matter?"

"You sounded like Gai-sensei when you spoke about youth."

Hiashi's face hardened and he motioned for Naruto to leave the room.

"I'll thank you never to mention that again or to say that I sound like Maito Gai. The man is a capable ninja but I don't believe his mental state is sound. Now come. We've kept Hinata waiting long enough."

Naruto nodded and filed through the door ahead of the Hyuuga clan leader. Hinata looked up when the door opened and stared at Naruto as he took his seat beside her. Hiashi coughed to get their attention and locked eyes with Hinata when they turned to him.

"Hinata, I want you to understand that I will still allow the two of you to see each other as friends. I am in no way hampering your friendship. I just ask that you wait at least a couple of years before the two of you try to enter into any relationship. Do you understand?"

Hinata bowed her head and folded her hands in her lap.

"Hai, father. I understand."

Naruto let out a deep breath and smiled at her.

"Hinata-chan, don't be sad. Time will pass before you know it and we can see what happens then. At least he didn't say no indefinitely."

She gave him a small smile and nodded her head.

"Hai, that's true. I suppose I can wait until we are a bit older."

Hiashi nodded his head and smiled at the two.

"I'm glad you were both mature about this. Now then, the evening is still young. Why don't the two of you go to a restaurant and eat? Just no romance. Learn things about each other and have a pleasant time."

Naruto cocked his head and blinked.

"Isn't that a date Hiashi-sama?"

Hiashi smiled as he stood and straightened out his robes.

"A date is where you go out with another person with the intent to further a romantic relationship or to try to bring about a romantic relationship. You two will just be enjoying a dinner together and galvanizing your friendship. _Won't you?_"

Hinata and Naruto both squeaked and nodded their heads quickly. The glare left Hiashi's face as he left the room.

"Good. You two enjoy yourselves. Hinata, you have a mission early tomorrow. Do not be late in getting home."

The two children bowed as one.

"Thank you father."

"Thank you Hiashi-sama."

"Just go before I change my mind."

The two were out the door in an instant and Hiashi walked back to his quarters. The Hyuuga clanhead sat on his bed and pulled a picture out of a drawer by his bedside. He sighed heavily as he stared at the picture of he and Himiko on their wedding day.

"Our little girl is growing up Himiko. She's getting interested in boys now and the one she's picked is the one who would probably be best for her, but I fear that if they pursue a relationship it will be a long hard road because of who and what Naruto is."

A tear slid down his cheek and dripped onto his wife's face. Hiashi wiped it away and took a deep breath.

"I wish you were here Himiko. It's so hard trying to be both a clanhead and a father without hurting our daughters. Hinata tries but she is still behind Neji in her training. She simply does not have the heart to hurt anyone and as a Hyuuga clanhead, that would be an unacceptable thing. She cannot show mercy or she will be viewed as weak."

"You used to tell me that she had other virtues. That her kindness was not a hindrance, but a gift. That her mind was her best asset, not her body. She is a sharp girl, very bright, but being a Hyuuga demands more."

Hiashi put his head in his hands and sighed.

"The elders will demand more and more of her as time goes on and Hinata is such a kind, gentle soul. I've already had to start training Hanabi in case Hinata is not deemed suitable as heiress. Oh Himiko, what am I to do?"

He stood and wiped the tears from his eyes, setting his face into the infamous Hyuuga stoicness. This would be harder than turning the children down.

"I had best go and explain myself to Eri-san. She won't be happy if she finds out what happened from Naruto. That woman would automatically assume the worst."

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Naruto sighed as he sat down beside a tree at his team's training ground and waited for the others to arrive. It had been a hell of a day yesterday and he was still exhausted from it. He'd wrangled cows and then gone and asked to take a girl he liked on a date. He was more nervous than he had let on but he thought he did admirably considering he was asking Hyuuga Hiashi.

He was disappointed that he had been turned down, but he had not been turned away. Hiashi had made that abundantly clear to both him and his mother. Naruto was more than welcome to court Hinata at a later date, but now was not the time.

Hinata had been put out that they were denied the right to date and Naruto had made it his mission to make her smile the rest of the evening. He regaled her with his tale of their cow wrangling mission and proudly watched as she laughed so hard she cried at his tale of riding Ino while she was in the cow's body. Overall, even if it wasn't a date, dinner was a success because they got a little closer.

She had given him a tight hug when he took her back home and both children had blushed like crazy, giving the guards at the gate something else to chuckle about. He waited until she was inside the house and began his trudge back home.

His first thought when he heard yelling coming from the house was that Konohamaru had done something to upset his mother and, wanting to avoid getting dragged into the argument, he melted into the ground. As he shifted into the wood of the house, he was surprised to see a very pale Hiashi sitting in a chair while his mother stood over the man wagging a finger in his face. His father sat to their left, his head in his hands as he shook it.

_"I don't care if you don't think they're ready Hiashi! That's not your call! You had no right to deny those two the chance to just date! It's not like he'd get Hinata pregnant!"_

_Naruto had blanched when he heard that and moved a little closer until he was behind Hiashi in the wall._

_"Eri-san, I was just saying that they are too young to date or be serious about a relationship. They're kids. They need to be kids as long as they can."_

_"So they're allowed to kill but they're not allowed to date? What kind of backwards assed thinking is that Hyuuga-san?"_

_"Eri, leave him be. If Hiashi says no, then it means no. I agree with him. These kids are new ninja and they already have enough to deal with without adding hormones into the mix."_

_Eri turned to her husband in a fury but Yahiko didn't even flinch, having been on the receiving end of more than a few of these tirades._

_"You know that Naruto might never find a girl as sweet as Hinata, Yahiko. With what he carries, it'll be hard for him to even get a girl to look his way."_

_"I know that. Hiashi knows that. And Naruto knows that. Eventually he'll have to tell Hinata what he carries if he does want to pursue a relationship with her. Do you think she'll take it well?"_

_Hiashi nodded his head and smiled._

_"My daughter is quite taken with your son. I don't believe that a demon in his belly will deter her from liking him, maybe even loving him in the future. But that is the future and children are fickle. Love is fickle. They may decide it is better to be friends than lovers."_

_"I agree. Don't you Naruto?"_

_The blonde gasped and melted out of the wall, much to the surprise of Hiashi, who chalked it up to a cloaking jutsu. He hadn't had his eyes activated after all._

_"How'd you see me dad?"_

_"Trade secret. You need to be more careful next time if you're going to eavesdrop."_

_Naruto frowned and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly._

_"I wouldn't have had to eavesdrop if you weren't talking about me. I couldn't help it."_

_He turned to Hiashi and locked eyes with the man._

_"Do you truly think that Hinata will still like me if she finds out what I carry?"_

_"Yes, I do. Hinata is quite taken with you and I don't believe she would hold it against you."_

_"That's all I need to know."_

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Naruto opened his eyes when he heard the sound of Kiba and Akamaru moving toward him and smiled when the puppy leapt into his lap, wanting his ears rubbed. Naruto acquiesced and grinned as he rubbed the dog's ears, laughing when Akamaru's leg began to kick. Kiba sat down next to him and grinned.

"How'd your date go last night lover boy?"

Naruto glared at his canine-like friend and ceased rubbing Akamaru, much to the puppy's chagrin.

"I wasn't on a date last night mutt. Hinata and I just got a bite to eat."

"Sounds like a date to me."

"We're just friends. Besides, her dad said I can't date her right now."

Kiba winced and patted Akamaru on the head as he clambered into his lap.

"Ouch. Sorry man. I didn't know."

"It's cool. He just said that I can't date her now."

"That sucks."

Naruto nodded and leaned back against the tree again, just in time for them to see Ino coming over the horizon. The large grin on her face was somewhat unsettling and put both boys on edge as she sauntered up in front of them and put her hands on her hips.

"Good morning boys. Beautiful morning isn't it? No cows to herd, no cow patties to fall in, the sweet smell of love in the air…"

Kiba edged away from Naruto a bit, seeing where this was going, leaving his friend to fend for himself. Naruto's brows furrowed but he played along anyway.

"Oh is it? So what crackpot plan are you going to use to get Sasuke's attention today?"

"Oh I'm not talking about Sasuke. I'm talking about a certain blonde boy and blue haired girl that were eating together at a certain restaurant last night."

Naruto sighed and leaned back against the tree, pulling his field knife from its scabbard and flipping it in his hand.

"It wasn't a date Ino. We were just eating out."

Kiba snickered and Naruto glared at him. The dog boy covered his mouth but his shoulders still shook with mirth. Ino smiled and sat down beside Naruto, scooting closer as she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, batting her eyelashes at him.

"It sure looked like a date to me."

Naruto rubbed his temples, a trait he'd picked up from his father, and growled.

"How many people know about last night due to your blabber mouth Ino?"

She giggled and looked away from him.

"Not many."

"Then _everyone_ knows. Great."

Before they could argue any further, there was a shimmer next to them and Kurenai appeared, a bright smile on her face.

"Hello team. I heard about your mission yesterday and I have to say I'm proud of all of you. You all performed admirably. Naruto, I hope you remembered to shower before you came here today."

He mumbled 'bite me' under his breath and Kurenai's smile grew a little strained.

"What was that? I didn't quite catch it."

"Um, can we start training now?"

She grinned and motioned for them all to stand.

"Of course we can. Now Kiba and Ino square off first and then I'll spar with Naruto. After that, we'll go get our mission for the day. Get going you two."

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For the next few months it was all routine. Team Eight progressed quite nicely and Kurenai couldn't have been prouder. D-ranks still sucked but those missions were expected of a genin team and Team Eight did most of them quickly and efficiently. Kurenai had promised them the moment they reached the requisite goal of D-ranks, she would request a C-rank for them.

Today was the day. Today was, if the gods of fate didn't hate them, going to be their first C-rank. Kiba and Ino were almost bouncing as they walked to the Hokage office and Naruto wasn't much better. He knew what to expect of a C-rank mission. Serving as escorts, fighting off bandits, perhaps breaking up a local gang…they weren't illustrious missions but they were still actual ninja missions nonetheless.

As they popped open the door of the Hokage tower, Naruto thought back on all that had transpired in the past few months. He and Hinata had grown closer and they both realized what Hiashi had been talking about. At times, when one or the other wanted to grab a bite to eat or do something, one would be too tired to do anything and the other was left feeling dejected. If they had been dating, that might have stung a little harder.

Their schedules conflicted more often than not. Just because D-ranks weren't actual ninja missions did not mean that they could all be done during the day. Sometimes it meant a stake out at night to kill a local marauding wolf or to catch a snake that was raiding a henhouse. Relationships in the ninja world were difficult and harsh.

Anko popped up every now and then, mostly to test his reflexes and make sure he stayed sharp on his assassin abilities. She had explained to him that, unfortunately, there had been no low-level assassin tasks and therefore she couldn't take him with her to practice. Naruto was both frustrated and relieved at the same time. Frustrated because he knew that that was a way he could serve his village; relieved because he didn't know if he was ready to kill again.

Anko had told him that the first time was the hardest time and he had probably had the best first experience she had ever seen. He had performed beautifully and his reaction afterward was not uncommon. If he hadn't felt anything, then she would have been worried.

All in all, it had been a good few months. Naruto was now very proficient with his kekkei genkai and his knife. In spars, he was forbidden to use it unless they were sparring using jutsus. Kiba had better luck than Ino in finding him because of Akamaru and his overly sensitive nose. Kurenai usually found him by having a genjutsu waiting for him when he emerged. Team Eight was ready physically. The question was…were they ready mentally?

They filed into the waiting room outside the assignment room and Naruto groaned mentally when he saw the team ahead of them. Team Seven stood before them in their usual fashion; Kakashi reading his porn, Sakura chattering away at Sasuke, Sasuke pointedly ignoring her, and Shino hanging toward the back of the group trying to look inconspicuous. Naruto saw Shino's eyebrows shoot upward when they walked up and he could tell the boy was glad for the opportunity to talk to someone sane. The glasses clad genin walked toward them and stopped before Naruto and Kiba.

"I am glad to see the both of you well. How has your training been going?"

Kiba grinned and flexed an arm while Akamaru yipped happily.

"Our training is great. We've all gotten stronger, even Ino. We've already gotten all the required D-ranks to request a C-rank and today is our day."

Naruto frowned and nudged Kiba with his elbow.

"Kiba, keep your voice down. We don't want to broadcast that at the moment."

"Huh? Why not?"

Naruto nodded subtly towards Sasuke, who was currently caught in a tug of war between Sakura and Ino, and tapped the side of his head.

"Think about it mutt. If Sasuke hears that we've already qualified he might raise a stink about it. I don't want any trouble. I just want to see if JiJi has a mission for us, do it, and get back to it. If we go about this the right way, we may be able to do a lot more C-ranks from this point on."

Naruto thought he heard Shino sigh and looked at the boy quizzically.

"What's the matter Shino?"

"I sometimes wish I had been put on a different team. Sasuke is capable but is more antisocial than I am. Sakura is sociable enough but I cannot critique Sasuke about anything to try to help him improve without her speaking up on his behalf. Nor can I critique her without her screeching or falling into a depression. It is most vexing."

Naruto and Kiba frowned and shrugged their shoulders.

"Sorry man, but them's the breaks. I wish you could have gotten on with one of our friends, but you just drew the unlucky number apparently."

Shino nodded and turned around when Kakashi called to him. Team Seven was almost up.

"Excuse me. I'll catch you guys later."

Ino sauntered back over frowning and took her place next to Naruto in the line. He couldn't resist teasing her.

"Aw what's the matter Ino-chan? Sasuke-kun not taking a liking to your advances?"

"Shut up asshole."

Kurenai smirked at her genins' banter and sidled up alongside the porn reading Kakashi, speaking low so the genin couldn't hear them.

"Do we still have that bet on Kakashi?"

"Mmmm."

"You're not going to back out?"

"Mm mm."

She sighed and crossed her arms.

"Kakashi, are you even taking me seriously or is this a joke to you?"

His visible eye rolled toward her and he earmarked his book before closing it with a snap.

"Kurenai, I am taking you seriously. Despite my aloof disposition, I do take notice of some things. I know that Naruto is very talented. So is Sasuke. Both were at the top of the class in their year. Both have an excellent pedigree. It will make for an entertaining match. What I want to know is why you are so eager to see this match."

The look Kurenai gave Kakashi put him off somewhat. It was something between awe and confusion. Kurenai was a new jounin and had almost immediately leapt into taking a team. Surely she wasn't doing this to prove herself…

"I just want to see what happens when the pariah of Konoha goes up against one of the sons of a mighty clan."

Kakashi stuck his hands in his pockets and stared at her lazily.

"Naruto is from a mighty clan as well you know."

"He was raised in the Sarutobi household, yes, but how often is he recognized as part of that clan? Never, not once. If Naruto was put out on the streets tomorrow, it would not matter to the people of Konoha. He would still be seen as a plague on this village. I want to see what happens when a pariah meets an avenger."

Kakashi closed his eyes, giving her his infamous eye smile.

"I would like to see that as well. Now that I know your motivation for this, I look forward to it as well. Now if you'll excuse me, my team has to get their daily D-rank."

Kurenai nodded and smirked as he walked off to stand at attention with his team.

'I beat you again Kakashi. My team will hopefully get their first C-rank today.'

She wandered back to stand beside her team and watched with amusement through the crack in the door as Sasuke swallowed a bitter pill when Sarutobi assigned them Tora the Cat once again. Kakashi began to lead them out and was almost to the door when Sarutobi greeted Team Eight.

"Ah welcome Team Eight. It's a momentous day for you four. Your first C-rank as a team."

Kakashi swore silently that he hadn't hurried his team along faster and watched as Sasuke turned back to the room in a fury. The raven-haired boy kept his tone respectful but everyone could sense the tension in his voice.

"Hokage-sama, might I ask why Team Eight is deemed ready for a C-rank mission when my team is not thought of as ready yet?"

Sarutobi smiled and laced his fingers under his chin, his pipe billowing smoke.

"Team Eight has finished more than the requisite number of D-ranks to accept a C-rank and I deem them as ready. More importantly, their commander deems them as ready. There is a pecking order one must go through to get more difficult and rewarding missions Sasuke."

Sasuke turned to Kakashi and glared at the man.

"So you don't deem Team Seven as worthy of a C-rank Kakashi? What happened to all that 'those who break the rules are trash' crap?"

Kakashi leveled an even gaze at Sasuke and kept his voice low, although there was an underlying tone of authority.

"Those who break the rules are trash, but those who would abandon their comrades are worse than trash. That is my creed. I have broken no rules and I have abandoned no one. When you are ready for a C-rank, I will ask the Hokage to assign you one. Team Seven's teamwork is not at the level I desire yet, so you will not receive a higher ranking mission. End of discussion. Now, let's go."

Kurenai blinked and watched as Kakashi ushered a stunned Sasuke out. Her respect for the man rose slightly. She knew he had been a commander of the ANBU but his presence, even when he was merely admonishing someone, was quite a spectacle. She was glad to know that he was stern with his students when they got out of line.

"Now then, Team Eight. I have awaited the day for your first C-rank for quite some time and have one I believe you can all handle. There is a nest of bandits on the border of the Land of Waves and the Land of Fire. They have cut off the trade routes our merchants use to get to the boats to trade with the Land of Waves. Your mission is to wipe them out and find out who is giving them orders."

Kiba raised his hand and Sarutobi nodded in his direction.

"Um, Hokage-sama, what do you mean by 'wipe them out'?"

"I mean that you should not let them do this again. A sad, but necessary part of being a ninja is taking life occasionally. Naruto has already experienced this. You and Ino have not. This particular nest of bandits needs to be eliminated. You are to _eliminate_ them."

Kiba nodded nervously and stepped back to his place. Ino raised her hand and Sarutobi nodded again.

"Hokage-sama, why would someone try to block the trade between the Land of Waves and the Land of Fire? Could it be another ninja village?"

Sarutobi sighed and shook his head. The girl was sharp; there was no denying that.

"Truthfully, we have had no word from the Land of Waves for quite some time. They do not have a ninja village and thus, they have no home defense against pillagers, relying instead on their economic allies to provide some form of defense. We believe that these bandits are taking orders from someone hoping to hurt the Land of Waves."

Kurenai nodded her head and turned to her students.

"I will get a few more details from Hokage-sama about our mission. You three run home and prepare for a mission at least one week long. Meet me at the gates in one hour."

Kiba and Ino bowed to the Hokage and hurried out the door. Naruto bowed to his grandfather and formed the seal for shunshin.

"Thank you for giving us this mission JiJi."

Sarutobi smiled and shuffled the papers before him.

"I didn't 'give' you anything Naruto. Team Eight earned a C-rank."

The blonde smiled and disappeared quickly, leaving Kurenai with the Hokage. Sarutobi turned to Kurenai, his smile gone.

"Now that they are gone I can tell you a little more. This is to be an information gathering session as well. Our reports from our scouts in the area reveal that the bandits are led by a chuunin level missing nin from Kusagakure. He isn't powerful per se and you should be able to take him down with little trouble. He has information and I want it. Have Naruto interrogate him. The boy has a…knack…for getting what he wants out of people."

Kurenai nodded, but a frown marred her pretty face.

"So I've heard from Anko. He uses a mixture of hers and Ibiki's methods, although he leans more toward mental torture. I take it this is more training for him? What do you want him to gleen from this man?"

"I want him to learn who is the mastermind behind all this. The merchants in Wave have not spoken to us in months and that is cause for concern. I have my suspicions, but I need solid proof before I send in a contingency to take care of the problem."

Kurenai bowed and straightened up.

"Will that be all Hokage-sama?"

"Yes, that will be all. Good luck Kurenai, though I don't think you'll need it. Your team is more than ready."

She nodded again before exiting the office and sliding the door closed behind her before rushing home.

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Kurenai was surprised to find Team Eight at the gates by the time she got there, in a huddle on the ground. She had thought she would get there a little early and probably beat them there but that hadn't worked. She'd have to teach them not to be so early, but to be right on time. The only thing she had done was to put on a pair of pants instead of the short shorts she usually wore under her wrappings and to grab her already prepared pack. She crept forward to see what they were doing and her eyes widened with surprise.

Naruto had a scroll on the ground opened up and two bowls of ink beside him. He handed his knife to Ino and she took it gingerly.

"Cut your thumb and pour the blood into the bowl. Mix it with the ink. Kiba, you through yet?"

The dog boy wiped the blood from his thumb on his pants and sucked on it to get the coagulation going.

"Yeah, I'm through. Whatcha gonna do?"

"I'm making a sealing scroll for each of you guys that will only respond to you. It will take your blood to open it. Just bite or cut one of your fingers and run the blood over the seal. Seal your whole pack in there and later I'll make seals for individual things. It'll do for now."

Ino sucked on her thumb and watched as he fluidly put Kiba's mixture on the paper. The squiggly lines made no sense to her but they seemed to dance onto the paper as Naruto moved his wrist this way and that, humming as he drew. Kiba watched in fascination as the blonde added a finishing touch and then whipped the scroll into the air, twirling it round and round to dry the ink.

Kurenai giggled when the chuunin gate guards wandered over to watch the spectacle and winked at them, making the two blush. Naruto threw the scroll back to the ground with a snap and stepped away from it, moving over to Ino's. Kurenai saw that they boy had noticed his audience but was pointedly ignoring them to finish his task. When Kiba tapped him on the shoulder, he didn't even look back.

"Just sit your pack on top of the seal and make sure some part of your hand touches the ink as you channel chakra. Think about the pack sinking into the ink and it'll make the process go faster."

Kiba nodded and moved away as Naruto performed his tasks with Ino's scroll. She watched again, somewhat detached, as his hands danced across the parchment, the individual markings coming together to form a seal somewhat different from Kiba's. A triumphant shout from her canine loving companion made her jump and she turned to see the small puff of smoke signifying Kiba's success in sealing.

Ino turned back in time to watch Naruto do his twirls with the scroll and she had to admit that it was somewhat hypnotizing. His eyes were closed as he spun the parchment about him and he snapped it back to the ground as his blue eyes flashed open. He stepped back and smiled at Ino.

"You're up Ino. Kurenai-sensei is waiting so hurry up."

She nodded quickly and sat her pack in the center of the seal, placing her fingers along the outer edge. She concentrated on her chakra and watched as the pack poofed out of existence and the scroll rolled shut with a sharp snap. Ino squealed with glee and pulled the strap of the scroll tight.

"Thank you Naruto! Now we'll be able to move more quickly."

Kurenai nodded and stepped forward, finally gaining acknowledgement of her presence from her genin.

"That's a good idea Naruto. Sealing is a very efficient way to carry things, but what if you need something from your packs? You can't very well reach for a scroll in the heat of battle."

Naruto grinned and patted the field knife on his leg and the shuriken bag above it.

"That's why we carry all the weapons we can in these holsters and bags. Sealing just takes care of our clothing and food and stuff. Want me to seal your pack sensei?"

"Thank you Naruto, but no. I like knowing that my things are on my person. And if need be, I can use the pack and the things inside of it as a shield in case of ambush."

The kids nodded in understanding and Kurenai shouldered her bag and turned to the chuunin guards.

"Team Eight withdrawing for mission. Jounin sensei Yuuhi Kurenai reporting leave time of 1400 hours."

The guard on the right smiled and jotted down the team and the time before waving his hand to the gate.

"Team Eight clear for departure. Be safe on your mission."

"Thank you. Well, let's go."

She took off in a dash, her team right behind her.

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Kurenai watched her team carefully as they prepared the camp for the evening. She was surprised that they had all kept up with a moderate pace and had increased the speed gradually to find their limits. Ino was the first to drop back slightly with Kiba following. To her shock, Naruto only seemed to pick up the pace as she did. She had decided that this trip would be a test of her team's endurance because she wanted to know where a certain blonde's limits lay.

Once the kids were gathered round the fire, Kurenai began to explain what they would do.

"The first thing we need to do is contact our scouts here on the border. They would have the most up-to-date information on the bandit camp and how many we're facing. The Hokage told me that there is a chuunin rank missing nin running the show, but he works for someone else. Our job is to capture him alive and then Naruto will extract the information we need from him."

The kids all nodded and waited for more.

"Once we have information from the scouts, Naruto will use his kekkei genkai to find out _exactly_ what we're up against and the location of anything we can use, whether they have hostages or not, and whether there is anything of value hidden in the camp. Ino, I want you to stick close to me while we infiltrate the camp. Once I locate the missing nin, I will incapacitate him and hold him while you enter his mind and take him to an assigned spot to await interrogation."

Ino nodded and twiddled her thumbs nervously. Naruto put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and smiled, gaining a weak smile in return.

"Kiba, you and Naruto will be the tanks. Your mission is to take out as many bandits as you can between the two of you. I know you've been training hard in your clan style. There will be no holding back when we begin the attack. I need all of you to be on top of your game. This is for real guys."

The three kids sat in silence for a while until Naruto spoke up.

"How am I supposed to extract the information from our target?"

"By any means necessary. You have full authorization from the Hokage to use force. My only concession is that your teammates watch."

Kiba and Ino turned their heads to Naruto, who looked somewhat nervous. He nodded his head slowly and turned to Ino.

"While you're in his head, see if you can find out what he fears. It will help greatly in my interrogation."

Ino nodded and cocked her head to the side.

"How will that help you?"

"Ibiki-sensei told me that the quickest way to get information from someone was to play on their fears. Unlike sensei, we don't have the luxury of time to break someone, so I need you to get all you can on the guy. Can you do that?"

"It might take a little more effort but I should be able to find out something."

Kurenai coughed into her hand to get the attention of her genin.

"Kiba, Ino, I need to know that you will more than likely have to kill on this mission. It will be you or them and these men have no problem with killing you. Ino, you are in a more precarious position than the boys unless there are some men among them that like little boys."

All three children's eyes widened and Kurenai's face became grave.

"It's a sad fact that there are sick people in the world. Rape for kunoichi is a well-known fact but lesser known is that there are some men out there that will take whatever they can get. It's the dark part of fighting evil men. That is another reason to kill them, so they can't do anything else to anyone. You can't let them do that to you or anyone else."

Her team nodded resolutely and Kurenai gave them a small smile.

"We still have a couple of days to go before we arrive at the scout's post. I'll take first watch, then Ino, then Kiba, then Naruto. I'll wake you in a few hours Ino."

She had purposely chosen that order because she wanted to see how Naruto would handle the stress of being awake longer than anyone else for the next day. It probably wouldn't even bother the boy but she was curious.

True to form, it didn't even bother Naruto. He ran the whole next day and after he took the first shift, he went into a deep sleep and didn't wake up until the next day. Kurenai quirked an eyebrow when he was fresh as a daisy after the first hour. She knew the kid had near limitless energy, but damn!

They arrived at the scout's post late the third evening and were greeted by a man wearing a civilian outfit but he carried himself like a shinobi. He looked familiar to Naruto, but he couldn't place the face…

"It looks like it might rain later traveler. Trouble usually comes with the rain."

Kurenai nodded and smiled.

"True. But the silver lining to the clouds is always the solution on the horizon."

The kids looked back and forth as the civilian produced a Konoha headband and tied it to his forehead, pulling the cloth back into a bandana and popping a senbon into his mouth. Naruto grinned and saluted to the man.

"Genma-san! It's been quite a while! So this is where JiJi has you stationed."

Genma squinted his eyes and laughed.

"Good to see ya kiddo. Finally got out of that office huh? Yeah, your grandpa's got me stuck out here on the border for the moment. My relief should be coming within a week. What are you guys doing out here Kurenai-san?"

Kurenai explained their situation and Genma listened while chewing on his senbon. He assessed the situation and told them what he knew.

"The bandits shouldn't be a problem for Kiba and Naruto. They'll plow through them with no problem. My advice to you kids is that when you kill someone you henge into them immediately, but keep your headband visible so you don't kill each other."

Naruto and Kiba nodded. That was a good idea. They'd more than likely forget to do that in the heat of battle, but it was sound advice. Naruto filed it away for future infiltration missions. Genma turned to Kurenai and rolled his senbon to the other side of his mouth.

"As far as the Kusa ninja, I don't know much. He's a ringleader, rarely ever leaves the camp unless it's a big job. He's paranoid although I don't know why. His record in the Bingo Book is that he's a small fish, hardly any bounty on him. He must know something since he left Kusa to be so nervous."

Kurenai thanked Genma for his information and told her team to rest for the night. Tomorrow was their baptism as ninjas.

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The bandits were down below them as Team Eight watched from the trees. Kurenai was nervous as hell. Not for herself but for her team. This would be their first serious mission and she wondered why the Hokage had given them such a dangerous mission first. Perhaps he was sure of her abilities as a teacher to have the kids ready or maybe he thought that they could handle it, even if it meant winging it? She wasn't sure.

With a shuddering breath she turned to her students and whispered quietly.

"Ok guys, this is crunch time. Naruto, you know what to do."

He nodded and they watched as he melted into the tree. Ino shook her head and looked back over the encampment.

"It still freaks me out when he does that. You never know where he's going to pop up."

Kiba was about to reply but Kurenai shushed them and they sat in silence for several minutes. To them, each second that went by was torture. Even Akamaru was being quiet but the poor puppy was fidgeting all the same. Kiba ran a reassuring hand down his back and nearly jumped out of his skin when Naruto emerged from the tree beside and spoke in a hushed voice.

"There's about thirty of them. Some are sleeping right now and I can take them out, putting the numbers down to about twenty-five. The leader is in the yellow colored tent in the middle with a couple guards around him. He's definitely ninja and judging by the weapons he keeps, a kenjutsu expert. He has a katana leaning against the wall and the scabbard is worn but well kept."

Kurenai nodded and looked to make sure the other two understood the situation.

"What do you propose?'

"Let me go in and take out those that are sleeping. That will help the numbers some. Once they're all…disposed of…I'll set off an explosive tag. Kiba and Akamaru will come charging in and take them from the front while I come from behind and flank them. Kurenai-sensei and Ino will take the leader, while taking out any stragglers."

Kurenai smiled and nodded her head. It was a good plan.

"Very well, we'll wait for your signal. Ino and I will circle around and get closer to the tent so we can extract the target with more ease. Kiba, Akamaru…go in swinging. Don't stop until your enemy is on the ground understood?"

Kiba nodded his head and gulped before putting Akamaru into his jacket and walking down the tree slowly to his position. He was never more happy that Kurenai had taken a vested interest in their training because being able to walk on any surface was handy. It certainly made less noise than scrambling down the tree.

Kurenai clasped a hand on Ino's shoulder and gave Naruto a small grin.

"Go get them Naruto. We'll wait for your signal."

The blonde boy nodded and melted into the tree again. Kurenai took a deep breath and looked Ino in her eyes.

"Stay close to me and if anyone comes close to you, take them out. We don't need anyone creeping up on us while we capture this ninja. Your body will be incapacitated and I'll have my hands full with it so anyone who gets in our way has to die or we will. Understand?"

Ino gulped and nodded her head frantically. She was very nervous about this and didn't want to let her team down. For a moment, she was worried that she had shirked her training a bit too much. Unfortunately, when Kurenai motioned for her to follow, she realized there was no time to think about it now. She'd just have to try her best and hope everything worked out all right.

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Naruto moved through the ground at his fastest speed, wanting to get the task ahead of him out of the way. His thoughts wandered back to his first two victims before he had tortured and killed Mizuki, but he quickly squashed them. These men were hurting not just one person but a whole community. They had stolen and killed and more than likely raped, all in the pursuit of hurting people and making a bit of money.

He stopped underneath the tent where the men were sleeping and slowly eased himself upward. There were now six men knocked out on cots in the tent, one having stumbled in in a drunken stupor. The one man was stil trying to pull his shoes off and was making a decent amount of noise. Once he had lay down and began to snore Naruto moved all the way to the surface and henged into the drunken man. He'd see if Genma's advice would work or not.

Slowly he made his way to the drunk's cot and removed his field knife from its scabbard before clapping a hand over the man's mouth and quickly slitting his throat. He watched as life left the man's eyes and felt a little sick but pushed it to the back of his mind as he took a huge gulp of air. He had to do this. He'd already killed one of their comrades. Now it would be them or his team.

He moved over the rest of the cots and one by one killed them by either slitting their throats or jamming the knife into their temple. He sat on the ground for a moment and fought back the bile in his throat before he noticed the dress on the wall. It was a little girl's dress, bloody and torn, hung over one of the men's cots like a trophy. His eyes steeled and he stood to his feet, reaching for one of his homemade explosive tags. There would be no mercy now.

…**mercy is for the weak…**

Naruto shook his head and growled. He didn't need the damn fox waking up now. He pumped enough chakra into the tag to blow up the tents around him while sparing the leader's tent and melted into the ground to wait for the ball to start rolling. The ground shook from the explosion and he heard the bandits running around, taking orders from a deep voice coming from the center. It was show time.

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Kiba and Akamaru sat in some bushes just off to the side and watched with wide eyes as one of the tents went up in a ball of fire. With caution thrown to the wind, Akamaru leapt to Kiba's back and they performed the Juujin Bunshin, with Akamaru becoming a picture perfect copy of Kiba.

"Ok boy, let's go. Remember, no survivors. We can't let Kurenai-sensei down. Let's try the move that move that mom's been teaching us if we can ok?"

Akamaru growled in response and the two rushed forward, claws and fangs bared.

"There they are! Over here!"

Kiba mentally swore that they had been seen already, but kicked the man in the jaw hard and watched as Akamaru clawed at the man's throat. The bandit was dead before he hit the ground and Akamaru growled at Kiba, telling him to get with the program. Kiba set his jaw and waved the dog back as more men came running.

"This one's mine Akamaru. I have to do this."

Akamaru held back and watched as Kiba lurched forward with his fingers held tightly together, his claws presented and he sliced through the first man's throat before leaping back, panting heavily. The knowledge that he had just killed another man weighed heavily on his mind and he froze slightly until Akamaru pulled him away with a jerk to avoid a jab with a spear. A growl woke Kiba from his stupor and he dropped into his low taijutsu stance.

"Sorry boy. I'll have to worry about it later huh?"

The bandits readied themselves and one that reeked of liqour laughed a bit.

"It's just a two damn kids. Twins from the looks of it. I've always wanted a go at twins."

Kiba's face drained of blood slightly as what Kurenai-sensei had told them flooded back to his mind. His teeth ground tightly and he glared at the man. He would be the next kill. He'd never touch another child, him or otherwise.

"Awww, the little kiddy's angwy. Maybe I should help him with that attitude."

A growl came from behind the group and they turned to see Naruto melting out of the ground, his features more pronounced with the anger running through him after hearing the one man's plans for Kiba. His whisker marks were deeper, his growl more guttural, and his eyes had taken on more elongated irises. They stared at the bloodied field knife and one sneered.

"Another one, and it appears he's the one who blew up the sleeping tent. Damn wannabe ninja kids. They think they can do anything because of their magic."

Naruto and Kiba both growled and the bandits split into watching both boys at once, their backs together. Naruto flipped his knife to his other hand while Kiba pulled out kunai. Naruto smirked and formed the cross seal before crying out 'Kage Bunshin no Jutsu' and a horde of blondes surrounded the now nervous bandits.

"It's not magic assholes, they're called jutsus. You'd do well to remember it. Now Kiba!"

Kiba and Akamaru leapt forward with snarls and began to cut and swipe at anything in their path. Naruto and his clones ran into the fray and began carving up any bandit they came in contact with. The more blood that landed on Naruto, the more he had to fight down the feeling he was getting from the Kyuubi that was trying to leak its way into him

Pure joy. Joy of the kill. Joy of the slaughter. Joy of blood.

…**yessss. Kill them. Slaughter them. Drain them of life! Bathe in their blood!…**

The rest of the bandits had come running to help and ended up slaughtered by the two boys and the dog. Kiba and Akamaru sat panting off to the side, both covered in blood as Kiba rubbed a reassuring hand along a normal Akamaru's back, more to calm himself than anything. Naruto stood beside them, panting heavily and fighting back the growing bloodlust until his features returned to normal.

"Hey Naruto?"

He looked down at Kiba, still trying to catch his breath.

"Yeah Kiba?"

The dogboy took a deep breath and looked at the ground.

"Was your first time this hard?"

Naruto sat down beside Kiba and hung his head.

"Yeah. The only difference was mine was more personal. I knew my victim. I consider Mizuki my first true kill. I watched as the life drained from him. It was…hard."

That was the only way he could think to describe it as he stood back up and offered a hand to Kiba.

"I want you to talk to sensei or your mom about it Kiba. Don't hold it inside you forever. That's a bad thing. Don't let it eat at you or it'll consume you. Anko-sensei told me that."

Kiba nodded and took the offered hand, righting himself.

"We should go find sensei and Ino now and take care of any stragglers."

Naruto nodded and they bolted off in the direction of the center tent.

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Kurenai had watched with awe as the tent exploded in a contained fireball, completely missing the leader's tent. She applauded her student in her mind and motioned for Ino to follow her.

Ino stayed as close as possible as they made their way through the rows of tents, masked in a genjutsu to avoid detection. She watched with horror as Kurenai snuck up behind a bandit and plunged a kunai into his throat from behind. Kurenai turned to the girl who was holding her mouth to keep from screaming and grabbed her shoulders.

"Ino, this is the world you've put yourself in. It's kill or be killed. I'm sorry, but that's the truth. Your teammates are out there fighting right now, fulfilling their role. You have a role to fulfill as well. Don't let them or me down, understand?'

Ino nodded weakly and followed along behind her teacher carefully as they approached the tent. Kurenai slipped inside and watched as the man ran back and forth, gathering his things. She crept up behind him when she felt a knife touch her throat and cut her eyes to find the man standing behind her and Ino nowhere to be seen. She had been fooled by a genjutsu!

"So, they send a woman to finish me off. Such a waste of beauty. I bet they told you that I specialize in kenjutsu didn't they? That I was horrible at genjutsu? That's why we're ninjas, woman. We practice deception. Genjutsu is actually my strong suit."

"Oh? Then why don't you realize that I have you trapped in a genjutsu as well?"

The man grinned and pushed the knife a little closer.

"Oh am I?"

Kurenai grinned as her body began to waver and drift away as if in a mist.

"Yes, you are."

The man grunted when a foot met his stomach and suddenly a kunai was thrust into his side. He fell to one knee and looked up at the now revealed Kurenai. Looking through her legs, he saw one of his men sneaking up silently with his sword at the ready. He kept his smirk down and coughed up blood, looking into her eyes to keep her occupied.

"I'm gonna kill you for that bitch. I'm gonna kill you slowly."

"Oh? And how are you gonna do that?"

"KURENAI-SENSEI!"

Kurenai turned in time to see the man sneaking up on her with his sword raised and put her arms up in defense only for the man to fall to his knees with a kunai buried in the back of his skull, revealing a crying Ino who was hyperventilating. Kurenai turned and kicked the still hacking ninja in the side of the head, knocking him senseless but still conscious and tied him up, before kneeling before Ino.

"Ino, listen to me. What you did saved my life. Don't feel bad because they were bad men ok?"

The girl hiccupped and took several deep breaths before nodding her head. Kurenai stood and grasped Ino's chin, making the girl look at her.

"Ino, we still have a job to do. I need you to focus ok?"

The girl nodded and stood up, shakily making the signs for her Shintenshin no Jutsu. Outside, they could still hear Naruto and Kiba performing the cleanup and she shuddered a little as she spoke.

"Shintenshin no Jutsu."

A world of pain exploded in her skull as she entered the man's mind and Ino made to grab for her head only to find her arms bound. She looked up at Kurenai, who held her body in her arms and winced.

"Sensei, could you unbind his arms? My head hurts so much."

Kurenai nodded and gingerly sat Ino's body down before cutting the ropes and helping the girl in the man's body to her feet. Ino wobbled a bit before stumbling forward to the tent flap. She opened it and stared outside to see Kiba and Naruto walking toward them. Kurenai came up behind her carrying her body bridal style and nudged her forward.

"Let's go. We have to dispose of the bodies and then interrogate this man."

Naruto spoke up and looked back to the camp.

"My clones are taking care of that sensei. They're burying the bodies as we speak. Ino, can you search his mind to find out what he fears?"

She concentrated for a bit before shaking her head.

"His mind is all a jumble right now. I think sensei rattled his brain too much."

Naruto sighed and rubbed his hands up and down his pants legs.

"I guess it was hoping for too much. We've checked the remaining tents sensei. There's nothing of value here. I guess if there was I incinerated it when I blew up my tag."

Kurenai nodded and looked around.

"I'll get Genma to come back and burn everything he can. He's better with Katon jutsus than I am. Let's head back to the outpost. You can do the interrogation there."

The three kids nodded and began the journey back to the outpost. As they left out of the encampment Kurenai smiled at them.

"I'm proud of all of you. You performed admirably."

That softened the blow of their first mission a lot.

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Genma took one look at Team Eight and asked Kurenai if he needed to go run damage control. She informed him the camp needed to be torched and he nodded before hurrying off. Ino sat down in a chair and Kiba tied the man up as Ino went back into her body. The headache went away when she went back and she sat up with a sigh. Kurenai helped her up and looked at both her and Kiba.

"I'll talk with each of you about our mission individually when we get back. I'd suggest you speak to your parents as well. What you did was part of your job and is nothing to feel ashamed about. They were bad men and contributed nothing to society. Now Naruto, do your thing."

He nodded and turned to the man in the chair as Kurenai, Ino, and Kiba stood behind him with Akamaru on Kiba's head. Naruto drew his hand back and smacked the man across the face several times until he felt his head rolling on its own.

"Wh…where am I? Who the hell are you?"

"We're ninja from Konoha and we want a few questions answered. Cooperate and I won't hurt you very badly. Tell me what I want when I ask and you won't have to be hurt at all."

The man glared at Naruto and spit on his face.

"Little punkass brat! I ain't telling you shit. You little worthless wannabe genin. You don't know anything about being a ninja. I bet today was your first kills huh? And a woman as a sensei? Konoha has lost its damn mind!"

A spinechilling growl filled the room and the man's eyes grew wide as he took in Naruto's visage. The blue eyes were gone, replaced with red ones, and his whisker marks were more defined. Kiba and Ino shivered and Kurenai's eyebrows reached her headband. Ino leaned to Kiba and whispered.

"Damn it, I hate when he growls like that. It reminds me of a wild beast."

"Yeah, I know. But look at the reaction from the guy! I think he wet his pants."

Naruto pulled his knife from his scabbard and waved it in front of the man's eyes, making sure he saw the serrated edge.

"Who do you work for?"

"Fuck you."

Naruto responded by bludgeoning the man with the pommel of the knife in the side of the head. The man's head jerked right and he sat back up, his head lolling.

"Who told you to block the trade routes?"

"I ain't telling you shit."

Naruto grinned and stepped back several steps. The others watched with interest as he put his hands behind his back, making the cross seal.

"Tell me, does Kusagakure have legends like we do in Konoha? Boogeyman stories like that of the Kyuubi?"

Kurenai's eyes widened to inhuman proportions. Surely he didn't mean to…

"In Konoha the Kyuubi is the ultimate monster in the closet, a bed time story told to bad children that it will come get you in the night."

…**if I wasn't in here…**

"I believe in my studies of the countries of the world that I came across a book with Kusagakure's mythology and stories. You fear the Orochi don't you? A serpent that attacks without notice and is prone to young maidens or warriors of power to test its strength. You grew up with those stories, yes?"

The man scoffed and sat up a bit straighter.

"Yeah, so what? Those are just fairytales."

Naruto clucked his tongue and wagged his finger. He hated to admit it, but he really did get into the role of interrogator. Treating others as if they were children while he broke them was exciting. He could see why Ibiki enjoyed it. Perhaps the Kyuubi had given him a sadistic streak? No, normally he hated to hurt people or see people hurt. It was just while he was interrogating people.

…**the feeling of power over the powerless is quite invigorating is it not?…**

Naruto shook his head and resumed grinning.

"My sensei back home is the one who taught me how to break people. She's also the holder of the serpent contract."

He walked over behind the man so he could whisper in his ear. He noticed the looks on his team's face and turned away. Their looks would not help him now.

"The Orochi is not a fairy tale. I hold that contract as well. I don't have enough chakra to summon the Orochi, but I can summon its children. They do not take disrespect very well. Shall I show you?"

The man grit his teeth and tried to lunge for Naruto as he walked back around to the front.

"You little shit! You don't have a contract like that! The only one who does is Orochimaru and he hasn't been with Konoha in years!"

Naruto leaned down to the man's face and his grin threatened to split his face.

"Who do you think my sensei was? She was the apprentice of Orochimaru, Mitarashi Anko…and I believe some of her sadism rubbed off on me."

He ran through some fake seals and finished in the cross seal.

"Last chance monkey boy."

"Go fuck yourself brat!"

"Fine!"

He opted not to call out the name of the jutsu, instead concentrating hard on the chakra flow and forming the Kage Bunshin. Before it formed, he mentally chanted that while the smoke was still there he wanted it to change into a large snake with fangs. A smaller burst came from the smoke and he knew it had done it.

The man in the chair's eyes widened with fear as he stared at the large, ancient looking serpent that sat before him coiled up, its tongue flickering out of its mouth. He struggled in the chair, straining at the ropes. Kurenai clapped a hand over her mouth to halt her gasp.

'He's a genius! The man already looks about ready to break.'

The henged clone turned to Naruto and bowed its head.

"Ssss….Naruto-sama, how may I help you today?"

"I need you to sink your fangs into this man over here. Perhaps his tongue will loosen if he is poisoned."

The clone hissed in a menacing manner and slithered over to the man, who tensed when it began to wind its way around him and began to constrict. Naruto slowly walked forward as the clone flicked its tongue in the man's ear. The ninja was whimpering and had his eyes screwed shut.

"This is an ancient race of serpent, no longer seen in our world. They are descendents of the Orochi, constrictors that also have poison. He answers to me and only me. Now answer my question. Who are you working for? This is your last chance before he bites you."

The man began to hyperventilate as he watched the clone open its mouth to reveal extremely large fangs and the saliva dripping off of them. When he didn't answer Naruto sighed and turned away.

"Bite him."

The clone began to descend and right before its fangs were to sink into the man's legs, he screamed.

"I'LL TALK! I'LL TALK! JUST GET THIS THING AWAY FROM ME! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"

Naruto grinned and waved his hand and the clone slithered away towards the Konoha ninja. It noticed that Genma had arrived at some point and was also watching the preceedings with great interest. Naruto grasped the man's chin in his hands and growled at him.

…**sadist…**

"Took you long enough. Now tell me what I want to know."

…**revel in the feeling of power. Realize the power that you could have forever…**

The man sobbed and choked back some bile in his throat.

"All right, the man who employed us is named…"

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It had been a slow trip getting back to Konoha but Team Eight finally reported in. They had dragged the ninja back with them for Ibiki to play with and find out anything Naruto could not, which wasn't much. The man had been willing to tell the boy anything as long as he kept the serpent away from him.

Genma had burned the bodies and all of the camp and had commended the boys on a job well done. He had told them he would see them in Konoha soon and they had left the border.

Ino and Kiba had looked at Naruto with a sense of awe and wonder the whole way back after seeing a completely different side of their blonde friend. It was eye opening as to how different Naruto was than the rest of them, the amount of responsibility thrust on him before he even became a genin.

Kurenai had talked with both Kiba and Ino on the trip back, explaining that what they had done was part of their jobs and that they had done nothing wrong. It was up to them how they coped with their first kills, but they had to understand that she was there to help them and that she was proud of them. They had given her small smiles and promised to work harder.

Once they had reported to the Hokage and the man had been taken to Ibiki, Team Eight had gone their separate ways to be with their families and relax after being given the next day off. Kurenai had told them to show up in the morning for practice and a team meeting but they would not have a mission.

Team Eight was fast on their way to being the team to watch out for.

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Sarutobi sat in his chair, going over the report from Kurenai and the one from Naruto, reading back and forth between them. It was amazing the things that boy could do when he used his imagination. He was a master at using one's childhood fears against them to get what he wanted. He smiled and blew on his pipe. The boy would go far…

He read the report again about the mastermind behind the attacks on the trade route and laced his finger under his chin, while he thought. This man was a bother to not only him but an entire country. He would have to go. If left unchecked, he could choke an entire economy and while Konoha didn't necessarily need the trade with Wave, it was not unwelcome.

He pulled a paper from his drawer and began to write up a mission statement for assassination. Doublechecking to make sure everything was watertight; he signed the names at the bottom of the page for the ones going in. It would be a very good mission for these two and would allow more practice.

_Special Jounin Mitarashi Anko._

_Genin Uzumaki Naruto._

He smiled as he put the paper in the pile for out and sent a message for Anko and Naruto to be in his office in two days at nine in the morning before sitting back and knocking out his pipe. He reloaded it and leaned back in his chair, glancing at the target's name on the paper.

_Gato._

He sighed and rested his right leg on his left knee. The man had built up quite an empire and Konoha had turned a blind eye to him for too long. Now he had messed with their trade routes and for that, he had to go.

"Too bad for you Gato. I don't think Naruto will show you much mercy. Nor will Anko. Especially when I debrief them in your black market activities…"

He looked back to the pile and found, to his surprise, a mission statement from a bridge builder from Wave for protection while he was traveling home. He quickly checked the mission status and found Team Seven clear.

'Kakashi and Team Seven would be good to send along with the bridge builder. I have a feeling that there is more to this situation in Wave than meets the eye…'

**Longest. Chapter. Ever. Let me know what you think of it. Look for Bring the Hammer Down next. **

**You guys never saw any of those swerves coming did you? If you did, then you're pretty good at guessing things. Catch you in the next chapter.**


	20. Sanmai no Men

And here's Chapter 20. I had a lot of fun writing this one, bending the Wave Arc to my will. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...**No Sleep Til Brooklyn**_ by The Beastie Boys._

**CHAPTER TWENTY**

Naruto and Anko had accepted their mission gratefully. Anko was ecstatic to be on a mission with Naruto again and see him in action. Naruto was happy to ply his given trade again. Both were eager to take Gato out.

The mission file that Sarutobi gave them was nearly an inch thick with all of Gato's legal and illegal activities. Naruto had not known it was possible to have your hand in that many cookie jars at once but somehow the short, fat little man managed to do it. He and Anko both had snarled when they came to the section about his black market slave ring. When Naruto asked why a man as evil as Gato was allowed to live this long, Sarutobi pulled his hat down over his eyes and sighed heavily.

_"We're ninja, Naruto, not superheroes. We can't defeat every bad person out there. Our services go to the highest bidder and sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do for the sake of our village."_

_Naruto's jaw dropped slightly and his brow furrowed._

"_So, if Gato had hired a team of ninja to enslave a small village, you would have assigned them?"_

_Sarutobi shook his head._

"_No. I want no part in something like that. I still have a right to refuse missions as I see fit. The reason we have never dealt with Gato before is because he didn't step on our toes. This time he did and that transgression can't be allowed to go unpunished. It's just icing on the cake that he is an immoral, inhumane man. You can be proud of this kill since you'll be helping thousands."_

_Naruto nodded his head and a grim grin slowly crossed his face._

"_We're going to take everything. Gato Enterprises will fall by the time I'm finished. If his corporate headquarters is in Wave, then so are all his files more than likely. We'll bleed him dry and then kill him."_

_Anko's grin threatened to split her face as she slapped Naruto on the back and laughed._

"_I knew there was something I liked about you, kid. You're always looking to stomp the nuts after you have someone down."_

_Sarutobi smiled and laced his fingers together, leaning his chin on them._

"_Now that's not a bad idea. If you just killed him, then there would be chaos in that company while his underlings fought for the top spot. Take all the time you need to complete your task. Just be sure that Konoha gets a fair share of the profit."_

_Naruto nodded and flipped through the paperwork, looking for Gato's assets. He whistled when he saw the zeroes. _

"_I think half should do it. The man has enough money to pay all our shinobi through two seasons _and_ give them fat bonuses. The rest can go to boost Wave's economy and get them back on their feet."_

_Sarutobi nodded and leaned back in his chair as his pipe billowed smoke around his head._

_"What about the rest of his holdings?"_

_Naruto grinned and nudged Anko in the side._

"_Leave it to us, Hokage-sama. We'll take care of everything."_

Naruto sighed as he answered the door to let Anko in. She had been so hyper about going on a mission with him and it was hard not to get swept up in her enthusiasm. He cracked the door and was met by a beige cloak wearing Anko. The kunoichi grinned at him and waved.

"Hiya, kiddo! Ready to go?"

Naruto nodded and stepped outside the door. Anko wrapped her arm around his shoulder and dug inside her cloak.

"I know the old man told us to wear cloaks and masks but I wanted a little flair for the two of us. So, I had some masks made up to suit our status."

She pulled out two ANBU issue masks and handed Naruto one. It had black lines like tears running from the eyeholes and a mouth shaped into a frown. He turned it this way and that and quirked his eyebrow at her.

"A tragedy mask?"

He placed it over his face as it clicked into place. Anko grinned and nodded while placing her own mask over her face.

"Yup. You're tragedy and I'm…"

He looked at her mask's paint. There were dark circles under the eyes and the mouth was a huge grin.

"You're comedy. Fitting I suppose. I don't like to kill and you revel in it. Did JiJi approve these…changes?"

Anko laughed nervously as they ran toward the gates.

"Well, I wouldn't say 'approved'. He doesn't know about it. But he told Kakashi that we'd be following him in ANBU issue apparel, so it's fine. A couple renovations to the masks won't matter. We're here."

Naruto nodded and they landed beside Kakashi as he stood on the wall, waiting for his students to arrive. Naruto watched as Anko took her mask off and walked up to the one-eyed ninja as he eyeballed her.

"Well hello, Anko. I see you're here to follow us to your objective."

He leaned forward to look around her at her smaller companion, standing quietly. He blinked slowly and took in the black cloak and white tragedy mask. His visible eye narrowed slightly.

"Who's your companion? I've never seen anyone with a mask painted like that. A tragedy mask isn't exactly standard ANBU issue."

Anko grinned and put her own mask back in place.

"He's not your typical ANBU. He's sort of…an assassin in training."

Kakashi quirked an eyebrow, looked at the short figure again, shrugged, and went back to reading. Anko huffed and put her hands on her hips, her cloak billowing out slightly.

"How much longer till your team and the old goat gets here? I'm getting antsy."

Kakashi shrugged and flipped to the next page of his book.

"I dunno. Usually I make them wait a couple hours…but since the Hokage said this might be important, I decided to only make them wait ten minutes. They should be arriving any time."

Anko nodded and walked back to stand beside Naruto. Kakashi watched as the two blended back into the shadows and he searched for his team. It wasn't long before Shino arrived, followed by Sasuke, and a few minutes later Sakura. All three kids looked around for Kakashi and the old man called Tazuna. Naruto and Anko watched as the old drunkard stumbled toward the gate and Kakashi leapt down to follow closely behind him, reading in his book.

The two watched with amusement as the old drunk didn't even notice Kakashi behind him and walked up to the three kids waiting on them.

"Where the hell is the jounin I was promised? You brats can't possibly go by yourselves."

The three in front of him just glared and Sakura pointed behind him. Tazuna turned to find Kakashi with an eyesmile.

"Actually, I've been behind you since you left your hotel, Tazuna-san. I wouldn't have been late for once if _someone_ hadn't overslept."

Anko snorted and her shoulders shook with mirth as Kakashi smoothtalked his client and students. Sakura folded her arms and glared at her sensei.

"Oh really? No excuses today?"

Kakashi chuckled and rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, I would have rushed Tazuna-san along to our meeting place but I came across an open ladder convention while I was following him and had to go around it to avoid bad luck."

They all stared at the man in disbelief, until Sakura broke the silence.

"LIAR!"

Naruto and Anko giggled and Naruto turned his crying mask to Anko.

"Maybe I should have been on Kakashi's team. It definitely doesn't seem boring."

Anko blew a raspberry and watched the team finally leave out the gates.

"Yeah, if you'd been on his team you'd be with Sasuke and Sakura. Think of the fun times."

Naruto winced and readied himself to leap off the wall.

"I'll stick with Ino and Kiba, thank you very much."

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They'd been on the road for over two days now and Anko couldn't remember being this bored, even with Naruto along for the trip. Wearing the hot cloak and mask wasn't helping either.

"…On the road again, going places that I've never been, seeing things that I may never see again, I can't wait to get on the road again…"

Anko's eyebrow shifted dangerously. She'd been bored as hell while following Team Seven at a civilian's pace and now Naruto had started singing…badly.

"…On the road again, like a band of gypsies we go down the highway. We're the best of friends, insisting that the world keep turning our way…and our way…"

Anko's patience finally broke and she turned her head slightly to Naruto.

"Naru-chan, who sings that song?"

"Some guy named Willie Nelson…why?"

"Let's fucking keep it that way then, huh?"

A growl came from her dimnuitive sidekick and Anko grinned. At least if he was arguing with her it wasn't boring.

"What the hell are you talking about? I sing great! I'll have you know that my mom says I have a beautiful singing voice."

Anko guffawed and turned her mask to Naruto. The huge grin on her mask wasn't helping her case.

"She's your mom, you dumbass. Of course she's gonna say you have a beautiful voice."

"Oh, fuck you."

Anko's eyes shone, even through her mask.

"You promise?"

Naruto spluttered and Anko wrapped her arm around his shoulder, drawing him in close as she whispered huskily.

"I'm gonna break you. You'll go back home and never see the world the same way again."

"Ge…Get off me, you crazy psycho!"

Anko laughed and leapt away as he swiped at her with his loose arm. The mirth could practically be felt rolling off her, as she swayed her hips and spoke in a sing-songy voice.

"I'm gonna take your virginity!"

"Like hell you will! I'm saving that for someone special."

Anko stopped her prancing and draped herself over Naruto's shoulders, crying dramatically as he kept walking, dragging her along with him.

"But…but Naru-chan! I thought I was special to you! I thought we had something!"

Naruto sighed and kept walking, barely noticing the extra weight on his shoulders. Anko was mildly surprised, but then again, the boy had trained with Maito Gai in his formative years.

"Anko-sensei, you are very special to me, but you can't just claim my virginity."

He could feel the deviousness as it rolled off her.

"Oh? Well, by the time I'm finished with you, you won't care that you just lost your virginity. Hell, you might not even know your name."

Naruto stopped suddenly and Anko slid from his shoulders, both ready to go at any second. They crept forward just in time to see Kakashi sliced in half by a sharp chain held by two Mist nins. Naruto started to leap forward, but Anko grabbed his shoulder, shaking her head. He huffed and sat back again, watching what unfolded.

He listened as Sakura screamed out her sensei's name and Sasuke and Shino leapt into action. The sound of breathing on his left caught his attention and he turned his head slightly to find Kakashi.

"Shouldn't you be down there helping your team, Kakashi-san?"

Kakashi shrugged and watched as Sasuke kicked one ninja in the face while Shino had his kikai swarm the other.

"They'll never learn if I protect them all the time. The Demon Brothers are known for their teamwork and I figured it would be a good measure of their capacity."

He watched as Sasuke was shoved aside and the two missing ninja ran for Tazuna.

"Well, I better go. Things look like they're getting kind of heated."

Anko sighed as he flashed away and clotheslined the two in the neck, knocking them out.

"Guess we'll have to make sure that they don't get away. He'll more than likely send a message to the village and they'll send a couple chuunin to get them. At least we'll be able to travel fast to catch back up to them."

Naruto grunted and watched as Kakashi had heated words with Tazuna, snickering when the old man laid a guilt trip on the Copy Ninja that even Konohamaru wouldn't have fallen for.

Kakashi cursed the Hokage for all he was worth. If he hadn't been explicitly told that he was to take this mission no matter what, he would have left the old man high and dry in the middle of the road, damn the consequences. His team wasn't ready for something of this magnitude. They still weren't up to the level of teamwork that he wished and he knew that next time it wouldn't be chuunin…it would be a jounin…or worse.

"Fine, Tazuna-san. We'll go along with you and protect you. But when this is all over, you will pay us an undisclosed amount for your protection, to be discussed later. Understood?"

Tazuna nodded vigorously, nearly wetting himself from the stern look in Kakashi's eye. The Copy Ninja was not amused with his situation and his frustration reflected in his manner.

"Team Seven, fall in. We're continuing on to Wave."

He looked back over his shoulder as they continued on ahead of him and nodded to the two cloaked figures in the tree. Anko nodded back and she and Naruto began to move closer toward the tied up Demon Brothers. It would be a while until Konoha ninjas got there to retrieve them.

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It had been a long wait for Anko and Naruto. Team Seven had left over four hours ago and they were both bored. To pass the time, Naruto had unsealed his shougi board given to him by Gai and had begun to teach Anko how to play. She sucked…but then, nobody started out a champion…

For Anko, it was just nice to have somebody willing to do something with her that didn't involve killing or blood. The kid was a pretty good teacher besides, making sure to correct her mistakes and being as patient as he could with her. They heard the telltale sounds of someone landing in the clearing behind them and looked through the branches to see a couple of Konoha ninjas picking up the Demon Brothers. They waited until the ninjas were gone and took off after Kakashi and Team Seven.

After a few hours of running they found that Team Seven's footprints ended at the edge of the water. They looked at the unfinished bridge and Naruto whistled.

"That's damn impressive. Who would have thought the old lush was actually a good builder?"

Anko nodded and let out a deep breath.

"Yeah, that's impressive. Now, we have to run across the expanse of ocean. Try not to falter ok?"

Naruto grunted in acceptance and leapt after her, their cloaks billowing behind them as they rushed over the waters surface. Several times they had to jump over waves crashing toward them and Naruto grinned when he looked down to see a school of dolphins swimming along underneath and beside them. Such curious creatures they were.

Anko ducked as a dolphin leapt over her head and splashed water at her playfully. She growled and picked up her speed slightly. They didn't have time to mess around with these uncooked tuna…

Anko cursed as they reached land and stopped to catch their breath. Running over the ocean was no easy task.

"Damn it, we lost their trail. It'll take forever to find them now and we're several hours behind them. No doubt they came over on a boat and we don't know where they came to shore."

Naruto nodded and the two started to walk off when they felt a huge surge of chakra. Anko swore and ran toward the source. Naruto made a couple of big leaps and pulled alongside of her.

"Seems they found the Demon Brothers' boss or at least a more powerful ninja. Kakashi should be able to handle it."

Anko nodded and kept running.

"But what if there's more than one? Gato's rich enough to hire several ninjas and not all are as discerning as to who hires them as Konoha is. The man could afford several jounin."

Naruto bit his lip and picked up his pace slightly.

"We'd better get there quick then."

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Naruto and Anko skidded to a stop in a clearing and looked around frantically. There were several signs of a battle between two ninjas of high caliber, but no bodies. They found where Team Seven had taken up position around Tazuna and where Kakashi had fought the other ninja. What had Anko baffled was that Kakashi had apparently won, but there was no blood signifying his victory.

The extra pair of footprints weren't helping her suspicion either. She turned to Naruto, her comedy mask not at all going along with her demeanor.

"Come on, we have to find Kakashi and find out what the situation is. If that other ninja had help and made a tactical retreat, we need to know who he is and what he's capable of."

Naruto nodded and they ran off, following the footprints of the bridgebuilder.

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Anko growled as another person they'd asked directions from simply turned away without a word. She was not impressed with this village. Seriously, who just takes it on the chin without fighting back?

Naruto was appalled at the dismal attitude and abysmal look of the Land of Waves. These people were destitute and didn't seem to want to do anything to help themselves. He swatted away a thief's hand that tried to reach into his pouch and glared at the man, not that he could see it. Anko tapped him on the shoulder and jerked her thumb in the direction behind her.

"Come on, squirt. I finally found someone willing to tell me where Tazuna is. His house is in this direction."

Naruto nodded and they walked off in the direction she had pointed.

"Why are these people like this, Anko-sensei? It's almost like they've given up on life."

"That's what happens when you have no backbone, kid. You let a person step on you once and then they walk a damn mudhole in your back. They don't have a ninja village because they think they're secluded and they don't like violence, but the sad truth is that without someone to police the peace all that's left is chaos."

Naruto grinned and turned so that his mask was facing her.

"That's pretty deep, especially for you, sensei."

Anko swatted him on the back of the head as they came upon the water's edge again and turned toward the fisherman's section of the village.

"It's just something I've learned over the years, Naruto. You can't let people walk all over you. It's like your situation with the demon. If you let the people walk all over you and didn't fight back, they'd keep taking advantage of you until there's nothing left but an empty shell."

"Is that why you act the way you do?"

A sigh came from her and he looked over to find her comedy mask turned in his direction.

"It's one of the reasons. Besides my love of fucking with people, it's one of the biggest reasons. I don't want to talk about it right now."

Naruto scowled as they walked past the first houses, aiming for the last one sitting by the edge of the forest.

"You always say that. You need to talk about it. It'll just keep eating away at you if you don't."

Anko smiled in spite of herself and tousled his hair.

"You'll make a girl real happy one day, brat. Who knows, maybe it'll be me."

Naruto scoffed and batted her hand away playfully.

"Yeah, right. Like I'd ever choose you over any other woman."

Anko giggled and raised her mask slightly so he could catch her wink.

"I've had my eye on you since I first met you. You've already been marked as mine. You just don't know it yet."

"Oh? And what about Hinata?"

Anko shrugged and let her mask fall back into place.

"She's cute…and I've always wanted to try a threesome."

Naruto blanched as she lead them up to the doorway of what he assumed was Tazuna's house.

"You're not serious…are you?"

Anko growled playfully as she knocked on the door.

"You'll find out when you're older. You're not ripe enough yet."

They straightened up when the door latch was undone and a pretty black-haired woman cracked the door open. She gasped when she saw the two masked and cloaked figures.

"Can…can I help you?"

Anko nodded her head.

"Yes, we're ninjas of Konoha and we need to know if you're housing Hatake Kakashi and his team of genin."

The woman cracked the door open a little more.

"Do you have any proof that you're ninjas of his village?"

Anko slipped her hand inside her cloak slowly and pulled out her hitai-ate. The woman nodded and opened the door all the way. Anko stepped inside and motioned for Naruto to follow her. The woman locked the door behind them.

"My name is Tsunami, Tazuna's daughter. Welcome to my home."

"Thank you for having us in, Tsunami-san. Now, if you could direct us to Kakashi, we'll get out of your hair."

The woman nodded and led them down the hallway and through the living room where Team Seven sat. Sasuke and Sakura leapt to their feet immediately upon noticing the masks while Shino remained seated, though his colony had risen behind him. Anko showed them her headband and they settled down. Sakura, being the politest, clasped her hands in front of her and bowed.

"ANBU-san, may I ask what you're doing here?"

Anko nodded and smirked behind her mask. The girl could at least pretend to be polite.

"We were in the area and felt a large surge of chakra. We followed the footprints back to here. Your jounin sensei is Hatake Kakashi, correct?"

The girl nodded her head in affirmative.

"We need to see him. Can you take us to him please?"

Sakura nodded and began to walk up the stairs with Anko and Naruto following behind. Naruto cast a glance back to see Sasuke with his eyes narrowed and Shino looking up at them with his eyebrows raised. Naruto sighed to himself. Shino would undoubtedly be suspicious and have his bugs about the room.

Sakura lead them up to Kakashi's room and opened the door. Anko snorted when she saw the man sleeping soundly and motioned for Naruto to go in and sit as she turned to Sakura.

"Who did this?"

"Um…it was a missing nin named Momochi Zabuza. He fought Kakashi-sensei because he wanted to kill Tazuna-san, but Kakashi-sensei never let him get close. He was killed by an ANBU from the Mist."

Anko's eyes narrowed behind her mask.

"How did he kill him?"

"He put two senbon through Zabuza's neck and he slumped over dead. Then, he carried Zabuza's body off to dispose of it."

Anko merely nodded and waved the girl away.

"We'll wait for a while to see if he wakes up and then we'll leave. If he doesn't wake up in a couple of hours, we'll leave anyway. We have a mission to accomplish."

Sakura nodded and shut the door behind her. Anko started to take her mask off when Naruto stopped her.

"Comedy, don't take your mask off. The Aburame boy probably has this room bugged heavily."

Anko's hand stopped on its way to her face and dropped back to her side.

"Well then, Tragedy, what should we do? This is your show. Kakashi will probably be out of it for quite a while. Fighting Momochi Zabuza is no mean feat and he probably isn't dead. Senbon aren't known for their killing ability. More than likely it was an accomplice who saved his ass."

"Probably. But we're here for another purpose. I'd suggest we get started as soon as possible."

Anko nodded and stood from her position while Naruto followed her out. They met Team Seven and Tazuna's family in the living room.

"We'll be going now. We have a mission to accomplish, but more than likely we'll be back soon. If you don't mind, Tazuna-san, we'd like to use your house as a base of operation since there are friendlies here."

Tazuna grunted his approval and took another swig of sake. Tsunami smiled and bowed her head in consent as she lead the two out of the room. Anko asked her for directions to Gato's headquarters and Tsunami gave them reluctantly. Team Seven heard the footsteps of the two masked figures stop and the one with the tragedy mask walked back in with three of his fingers held out with little black dots held between them. He walked up to Shino and looked down at the seated boy.

"It isn't polite to put your bugs on allies, Aburame-san. Kindly don't do it again."

Shino nodded his head and held out his hand for his two kikai.

"I beg your pardon, Tragedy-san, but I thought it wise since I wasn't sure if I could trust you and Comedy-san. It won't happen again."

Naruto nodded and walked away.

"Make sure it doesn't."

Shino's eyes narrowed as he listened to his two kikai tell him what they'd heard and felt. His eyebrows rose a fraction of an inch as they disappeared back inside his sleeves.

_'What are you doing here, Naruto?'_

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Anko and Naruto ran towards town again to begin their search for Gato, when Naruto spoke.

"I'm pretty sure that Shino knows who we are. His bugs know my chakra signature."

Anko frowned and came to a stop in front of a store.

"Well, that complicates things. You'll have to have a talk with him when we return. Now, first things first, we find Gato's headquarters and you scope out the place. I'll wait outside for your report."

Naruto nodded, but on the inside he was nervous as hell. This would be his first true solo mission and he wouldn't have Kurenai-sensei or Anko-sensei holding his hand. He could only hope he lived up to the expectations that they all had for him. He followed Anko as she ran off again and eventually stopped in the woods outside the perimeter of a building with a high fence and a lot of guards.

Naruto just stared out over the property until Anko shook his shoulder and handed him a communicator.

"Take this. If you run into any trouble, Kami forbid, call me and I'll come. But if you stick to using your kekkei genkai, you shouldn't have any problems."

Naruto nodded and took a deep breath.

"If I find anything incriminating, should I bring it back?"

"Yes. If you can get your hands on any files, bring them back. Seal them away in a scroll or…did you bring a backpack with you?"

Naruto pulled out a scroll and unsealed a pack. Anko nodded approvingly.

"Wear that and put the files in there instead. Scrolls unleash a small amount of chakra when you seal or unseal something so just put everything in that pack. A good ninja could sense that burst of chakra and we don't know who he has in his employ yet."

"I guess I'll be going then, sensei. Is there anything else?"

Anko grinned and pulled her mask up while pursing her lips.

"A good luck kiss perhaps?"

Naruto yelped and melted into the ground. Anko folded her arms and walked up a tree to sit on a branch so she could observe.

"One day, kiddo. One day…maybe…"

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Naruto looked around as he moved underneath the fence and observed the rotations of the guards. They weren't trained, that was for certain. They were just mercenaries hired to look tough. Academy students could probably take them down. He moved further along and toward the building. With no problem, he moved into the stone of the building and to the first room.

It was just a normal room, with a couch and a couple of tables and chairs. He imagined it must be a meeting room for his employess or one that Gato used to meet with people who didn't know about his illicit affairs. He moved onto the next room.

Several rooms later, Naruto was feeling somewhat dumb. There was nothing incriminating against the man so far; just a bunch of offices with normal secretaries and people taking dictation. He had glanced at some of the files lying about and found them to be the legal activities. Then, his mark burst through the door and people cringed. A worker came up to ask him a question and Gato sent the female flying back with a slap.

Naruto frowned and forced himself not to growl. He hated people who acted like that and the two wannabe samurai that threatened the woman pissed him off more.

…**they should be the first to die…**

He ignored the fox with practiced ease and followed along in the wall as Gato stormed to his office. He noticed that the man was cradling his arm and wondered how he got the fresh injury. It didn't take long for him to get his answers.

Gato threw open the door to his office and yelled at his secretary that he would be taking no calls the rest of the evening. The terrified woman nodded her head shakily and went back to writing her reports. Gato flopped down into his chair and rubbed his broken wrist while his two bodyguards closed the door behind them.

"Damn Zabuza and that asshole partner of his. If it wasn't for that little bastard's speed and strength, I'd have killed that worthless pile of garbage. He was practically comatose."

'Wow. Kakashi must have worked him over good. Looks like his partner doesn't like Gato.'

The shorter guard frowned and fingered his sword.

"That kid's too fast, boss. We can't keep up with him, so if you want him killed, you'd probably want to hire another ninja."

Gato slammed his fist onto the desk and snarled.

"What the hell do I pay you two for? You're supposed to be feared samurai, known for your ruthlessness. Do you mean to tell me that you can't take a kid half your age?"

The two samurai narrowed their eyes and the taller one with scars spoke lowly.

"Tell me, Gato-sama, are you trained in the art of the sword or any art of the body?"

Gato snorted.

"Of course not. That's why I hired you idiots."

Two swords swung from their scabbards and impacted on either side of his hand. Gato looked up to see his unamused guards.

"We may be disgraced samurai, but we still have our pride, Gato-sama. We kill because you pay us to. We protect you because we are paid to. Do not mistake us for your spineless little slaves or your timid secretaries."

Gato gulped, but kept his composure. He had dealt with shady characters all his life. He blinked slowly and slid his hand from between the blades.

"Fine. But, if the opportunity presents itself, you are to kill that boy or Zabuza if possible later on. As for now, we overheard that Zabuza would take about a week to recover. When he goes back to finish off Tazuna and those Konoha ninjas, we move in and enact our contingency plan."

The taller samurai grinned and slid his blade back into its scabbard.

"We kidnap Tazuna's daughter, just in case Zabuza doesn't finish the job. He normally accomplishes everything we send him to do, you know. This ninja must be pretty good to beat one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. The kid should even things out though."

Gato nodded and laughed.

"At least I'll be rid of them all, one way or the other."

Naruto narrowed his eyes and grit his teeth. He wanted to kill the bastards, all three of them, right then and there. The Kyuubi was talking away in the back of his mind, trying to convince him of the merits of doing it, but he shrugged it off. He just had to ignore the damned thing and maybe it would get bored and go away. He waited for nearly an hour before Gato decided to go home for the evening. The man flipped the lights off and locked the door behind him.

Naruto followed him along the wall as the man walked out. He noticed that Gato's office was down a long corridor and there were no other rooms along the way. That was perfect for what he planned to do. The man stopped at the door at the end of the hallway and slid it open. Naruto listened as it closed. It clanked shut. Perfect.

He moved back to the office and looked around for any sign of a camera and found one hidden in the spine of a book in a bookcase. He smirked and his arm melted out of the wall, yanking the wires from the back of the camera. He searched for several more minutes, disarming four more before melting completely out of the wall. He sat at Gato's desk, turned on the desklamp, and flipped through the folders. His anger and disgust growing with each one he opened.

The first was a list of all the girls kept for the slave trade, aged anywhere from thirteen to forty. Naruto slammed the folder into his pack and kept going. He was going to bleed this man dry if it killed him. He didn't have time to go through them all so he just dumped all the files in his pack and melted back into the floor.

Anko was dozing in and out as she leaned against the tree trunk. Naruto had been in there for over two hours and she was bored as all get out. She was just about to radio him when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye and the tragedy-mask clad Naruto melted out of the trunk.

"Did you get the files?"

Naruto nodded and swung the pack from his shoulder.

"Yeah, I got them. This is one dirty son of a bitch we have here. Tomorrow night, I'm going to start siphoning his funds to Konoha. I'm going to watch him and copy his signature. If I can find a ledger with a record of his funds, then I'll be able to funnel them into fake accounts we can set up to divert attention from Konoha."

Anko nodded her head and tousled his hair.

"Very good, kiddo. Let's go back now and get something to eat. Then, we'll review these files and you can tell me what you heard."

Naruto nodded and they set off. If he hadn't had his mask on, Anko would have seen the proud smile adorning his face.

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They arrived back at Tazuna's house and were ushered inside by Tsunami, who gave them what was left over from dinner. Anko and Naruto ate quickly and excused themselves up to Kakashi's room where they began to review the files. The two were not pleased by what they read.

"Ye gods, I can't believe this man has lived so long. He's traded slaves from every country in the Elemental Nations. He's killed, laundered money, profited from drugs, sold people into slavery, ran prostitution rings, and bought off officials everywhere. It's sickening that people like him exist."

Naruto nodded and flipped through a few more pages of the folder he currently had. It detailed the different drugs that Gato was involved in. He was amazed at the amount of money the man made in that trade. It was almost surreal.

"He makes more money in drug trafficking for one month than most of our jounin make in a damn year. He accounts for most of the sells in Fire Country. We take him out and the drug trade will crumble…at least until the next asshole comes along."

Anko clucked her tongue and her eye caught movement by her left leg. She stiffened and watched as a hand groped around until it settled on Kakashi's kunai pouch and fished out a familiar orange book. Naruto chuckled and looked up from his file.

"It's good to see you awake, Kakashi-san. Sleep well?"

Kakashi grunted and slowly dragged himself to a sitting position before flipping open his book, speaking irritably.

"Where were you two? I thought you would have caught up to us by the time we reached Wave."

Anko huffed and leaned against the wall as she took her mask off.

"We would have been along sooner if the chuunins of Konoha weren't so damn lazy. It took them hours to get there. By that time, you were well on your way. We hurried as fast as we could."

Kakashi nodded tiredly and cut his eye to the tragedy-masked ninja.

"You can take your mask off, you know. It must be stifling…Naruto-san."

Naruto's head snapped up.

"How did you know?"

Kakashi gave him an eye-smile and sniffed the air audibly.

"Your scent. Everyone has a distinct scent. For example, Anko smells of snakes…and you smell of foxes. It's quite a distinct imprint."

Naruto sighed and shed his tragedy mask as Anko gave Kakashi a hard stare.

"You realize, of course, that you weren't supposed to know? And that you'll be punished if you tell anyone?"

Kakashi turned a page in his book and glanced up at her boredly.

"I can keep secrets, Anko-san. Besides, there aren't many dedicated assassins in Konoha. It's nice to see someone taking up the trade."

Anko flipped over to sit behind Naruto, pulling him to her chest and hugging him like a doll with a stupid grin on her face as he growled and fought to get loose.

"Yup! He's my own little prodigy! And he's cute too!"

Kakashi chuckled and read a little further into his book, trying to enjoy the scene that the two cloaked figures were giving him while finding out exactly what Akiko was able to do with her mouth. Anko stopped cuddling an irate Naruto and snapped her fingers.

"Oh yeah, Kakashi. We heard you fought Momochi Zabuza. How did that go?"

"It went well for a while. I got caught in his Suirou no Jutsu when I tried to recouperate underwater and Sasuke and Shino worked to distract him so I could get away. I ought to run those two in for insubordination since I told them to run away, but they did save me…"

Naruto looked over and blinked.

"That's it?"

Kakashi shrugged and flipped another page of his book.

"Well, he showed up. We fought for a while using clones to try to get behind the other. He kicked me in the side and I dove into the water. He caught me, formed a clone, and attacked my team. I told them to run, they basically told me that that was against what I'd told them, and fought his clone. Once it was beaten they rushed in. Sasuke distracted Zabuza while Shino sent his bugs after him. It was either have his chakra eaten or let me go. The result would have been the same."

"What about the end of the fight?"

"Ah, yes. I had him beat, nailed to a tree with kunai, and was about to kill him when a hunter nin from Mist put two senbon through his neck and…took…him…away…"

Kakashi's eyes widened exponentially as he realized his mistake. His head whipped around to face Anko and he groaned in pain.

"Zabuza isn't dead! Hunter nins are supposed to dispose of the body on sight. Damn it, that means he'll come for the bridgebuilder again. I'm nowhere near ready enough if he comes back now."

Anko was about to tell him what Naruto had heard when he sighed.

"But…those senbon pierced his neck and likely hit pressure points to put him in a deathlike state, so he'll be out of commission for at _least_ a week. His partner is an unknown, so I'll have to train the kids up to face him. Anko, can you back me up or would that interfere with your mission?"

He ignored the angry look on the woman's face as she replied.

"I was just about to tell you that Naruto overheard that Zabuza would be out for about a week. Our target isn't going anywhere and we're going to bleed him dry on funds, so I should be able to back you up. I'll just stay in the shadows and wait to strike."

Kakashi sighed in relief and leaned back, closing his eyes. He stiffened when he heard footsteps coming up the stairway and coughed into his hand.

"You two might want to put your masks back on. My students seem to be coming to check up on me."

Anko and Naruto swiftly put their masks back in place and Kakashi lay back down and closed his eyes. A few more hours of rest before putting up with his team would do him good. The door latch clicked and it swung open to reveal Sasuke and Sakura, with Shino leaning against the wall opposite the door. The pink haired girl looked at the two ninjas and then at the files spread everywhere as she walked to her sensei.

"Has he shown any sign of waking up yet?"

Anko shook her head no.

"It's chakra exhaustion. He'll be out until at least tomorrow morning. You three should get some sleep too. I'm sure he'll work you into the ground when he wakes up."

Sakura nodded and walked out the door while Sasuke remained for a moment.

"When he wakes up, tell him I want training. The other two are holding me back and I'm not getting any closer to my goal."

Anko snorted and went back to reading her files, ignoring the boy.

"It's an attitude like that that's the reason you're no closer to your goal. Tell him yourself when he wakes up. I'm not your goddamn messenger."

Sasuke looked like he was about to say something but the blank stare from the tragedy mask gave him pause. He decided instead to take the high road and walked out with his chin upturned. Naruto sighed and leaned back against the wall. Anko crawled over and sat beside him, leaning against his shoulder. Naruto was too tired to even put up a fight.

"So, kiddo, how ya gonna go about this?"

Naruto grinned and reached over for his pack, dragging out what looked like a bank booklet. Anko quirked an eyebrow and leaned in more to see. Naruto flipped the book to her and it landed in her lap.

"I set up a bank account while we were in Konoha, under the name Shizekuya Akira. He's twenty years old and an aspiring businessman in the field of electronics. He's looking for business partners and people willing to grant him money to get his business off the ground."

Anko nudged him in the side.

"When did you have time to set all this up? Making a fake identity should take some time. It's not like henge, Naru-chan."

Naruto grinned and flipped the booklet open more.

"Well, I did have a lot of free time sometimes in the Hokage Tower. I learned how to do certain things while waiting for JiJi to finish up so we could go home. Really and truly, all it takes is the ability to instill a citizen into Konoha. There are lots of people that make fresh starts in ninja villages and don't have the proper identification for several reasons. It's just a matter of setting up a fake henge for a picture and falsifying documentation."

Anko gaped for a moment and an appreciative grunt was heard from Kakashi.

"That's pretty damn good, kid. But, Gato has a lot of money. How do you plan to get it all away before he's eliminated?"

Naruto sighed again and folded the book up, putting it back in the bag.

"I don't. I plan to assassinate Gato and then transfer the funds before the world knows of his death. I'll take the money that is placed into Akira's accounts and distribute it into several fake businesses I'll set up in Konoha. His finances won't be checked out for quite some time when it's found out he's dead. By that time, I'll have 'killed' Shizekuya Akira and liquidated the accounts into the coffers of Konoha. We win, he dies poor."

Anko shook her head and clapped him on the back.

"Remind me never to let you hold my damn pocketbook. You're ruthless, Naru-chan."

A chuckle came from Kakashi's pallet.

"Mhm. That's devious, kid. I don't think Ibiki's that cold-hearted."

Naruto grinned at the praise and yawned.

"Yeah, that's great, but I'm sleepy now. I have a company to destroy and a man to humble. I'll see you guys in the morning."

Naruto pulled his mask down over his face and curled up in a corner of the room, using his pack as a pillow and his cloak as a blanket. Anko watched him with a smile as Kakashi sat back up.

"He can really use his mind to devastating effect huh?"

Anko nodded and fished a blanket out of her pack.

"He's been trained all his life to do things like this, Kakashi. Personally, I think he's being nice to Gato. He could have just killed him today. At least he's letting him live for a while longer."

"I hope Hokage-sama will approve this little soiree he's proprosing. It seems risky."

Anko laid her head back against her pack and pulled her mask down over her face. It wasn't really stifling. In fact, it didn't even seem to be there.

"Hokage-sama trusts Naruto. Besides, if the kid says he can do it, then he can do it. And if it makes Konoha richer, then by all means let him have his fun."

Kakashi lay back again and flipped a few more pages in his book.

"It's not the way normal assassinations are done, Anko. He should have killed Gato at the first chance he had. This is outside the norm."

Anko snorted and rolled over to her side.

"Naru-chan's not normal, Kakashi. But being different and doing things different isn't necessarily a bad thing."

"And that's another thing. Why the hell are you calling him 'Naru-chan' all the time?"

Anko grinned and folded her arms.

"I'll call him by his name when I think he's earned it. Until then, he's still a baby."

Kakashi sat for a moment in thought and was about to reply when he heard the soft snores coming from his two roommates. Sighing, he read a few more pages and then flipped the light off. He had to start training his team tomorrow.

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Anko and Naruto watched as Kakashi hobbled off to the forest on a crutch with his team, silently bidding the Copy Ninja good luck. The Snake Mistress turned to her smaller companion and put her hands on her hips.

"So, what are you going to do today?"

Naruto put his hands together and focused his chakra. Anko watched as he grew taller and shed his cloak and mask, revealing a totally different person in a business suit. She frowned and looked at him with scrutiny before shaking her head. She didn't like the brown haired man with no whiskers and muddy brown eyes. He looked so…plain. Not her style at all.

"Nope, no good. I like you better as a blonde. And with whiskers. And blue eyes. We can't introduce that henge as foreplay in the future. I just couldn't do you."

'Akira' sighed and shook his head.

"Can't you be serious for two seconds, Anko-sensei? I'm going to go talk to Gato and see if I can appropriate any funds legally. Wanna come?'

Anko grinned and put her hands together. Naruto watched as she shed the cloak and mask, revealing a now blonde-haired Anko with glasses. Naruto looked her up and down, taking in the short-skirted business suit and the high heels. Anko smirked and cocked her hip.

"Like what you see? Perhaps you'd like to see what's under the skirt later?"

Naruto, not wanting to be outdone, ran a hand through his unruly brown hair.

"Maybe later. I'm pretty sure that there's nothing of interest for me under there."

"Baby, it'd blow your mind."

Anko locked arms with him and they started off to Gato's headquarters. They attracted attention the whole way there. After all, there weren't very many well-to-do business people walking through Wave. Naruto was sure that Gato would be aware of their coming and would want to meet with them, out of interest if nothing else.

They walked up to the gates and were ushered inside by a rough looking man in a black shirt. Naruto kept his face as straight as possible as they were led to one of the rooms he had visited the other night. They were instructed to sit on the couch and wait for Gato. As they waited for the pudgy little man to arrive, Naruto gave Anko a rundown of what he planned to do. He was just into the part about transferring the funds when the door clacked open and Gato walked in.

His sleazy smile didn't do either ninja any favors…

"Ah, Shizekuya-san, welcome to the humble headquarters of the Gato Enterprises. I hope the facilities have been to your liking?"

'Akira' nodded his head and stood, offering his hand to Gato, who shook it heartily. He kept the smile on his face, but he felt sick on the inside, as if the man's taint had somehow infected him. He decided not to ask about the arm. 'Akira' already knew it would be a lie.

"Gato-san, it is a pleasure to meet you finally. I've been trying to get an audience with you for quite some time, but for some reason or another could never catch you. You're quite the busy man."

Gato nodded and sat down in the chair opposite the couch, bading the two to sit as he did. Anko sat and crossed her legs, hoping the man died a violent death as he leered at her shapely legs. Naruto noticed the man looking and promised to make sure his death was painful.

"Unfortunately, running a business as large as mine takes up a good deal of my time, Shizekuya-san. Now then, what can I help you with?"

Naruto coughed into his hand and pulled out the plans he had drawn up hastily that morning for some advanced electronics. For the next hour, he put on his best bullshitting game, charming Gato while Anko put in her two cents. The man was impressed by the two.

"It sounds like a sound venture. I don't delve into electronics much, seeing as I'm more into shipping, but I'm always looking to expand. Do you have a contract and a bid ready?"

'Akira' nodded and whipped out some more paperwork, laying it all out on the table.

"Just sign here, here, initial here, and sign here one more time, Gato-san. The bid is the paper underneath."

Gato picked up the bid and read it carefully, making sure that there were no loopholes. He sat it down and smiled at 'Akira' before swiftly signing the contract and handing it back to 'Akira'.

"Your bid called for ten million to get started, but I like you. You have an honest face and I always like to see a young man build himself an empire. Reminds me of myself in my youth. I'll give you twenty million and I expect to see progress reports monthly. If after six months, there is no progress, I'll expect you to pay back the money owed and the contract is void. Deal?"

'Akira' nodded and stood from his seat, bowing to Gato before offering his hand. Gato shook it and whipped out his checkbook, signing out a check like it was nothing. 'Akira' took it and placed it inside his folder.

"Thank you, Gato-san. I shall send you evidence of our progress within the month. We'll set up shop in Fire Country and I'll make sure you get photos of the offices and factory. Will you be making a visit?"

Gato gave 'Akira' a weird smile and knocked on the door. The two samurai entered and pushed their swords slightly forward. 'Akira' and Anko pretended to be nervous as Gato fingered Anko's hair.

"If no progress is seen in six months then I shall have to take payment…somehow. One way or the other, I will get my money back. For your sake, I hope that your business pans out. Do we have an understanding?"

'Akira' nodded slowly while Anko jerked back from Gato's grip, her stomach tightening and her ire growing at his lecherous grin. The two samurai stood to either side of the door and Gato waved to the doorway.

"Well, you have what you came for. If you'd be so kind as to leave now because I have other engagements."

The two bowed hastily and made their way outside the building. Once they were safely away, they dropped the henges and Anko shuddered.

"Oh gods, it was like being touched by grease. Pure grease. I need a damn shower, I feel dirty."

Naruto nodded and handed her her cloak and mask. Anko took the items gratefully and put them back on. He shook his head and sealed the papers away.

"Come on, we have to go across the water again to the nearest town with a bank. Tomorrow, I'll start appropriating checks and signing things away."

Anko grinned as they took off. This was turning out to be quite fun.

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Seeing as they had more than enough money, Naruto treated Anko to lunch at a restaurant of her choosing.

…of course, he had thought she'd go for a ritzy, fancy place…not another dango stand…

He had deposited the money into the account he had set up and shook the hand of the bank manager, telling him he'd be back later with more since he was setting up several partners to get his business off the ground. The man was more than happy to accommodate 'Akira' and his secretary.

They had gone back to Tazuna's house after Anko had stuffed herself to near exploding to find Team Seven tearing into dinner. They were just about to excuse themselves to Kakashi's room, when Tazuna's grandson walked in and stared at all of them. Well, it was more like a childish glare.

"Why do you all try so hard? You're all just going to die. Gato'll kill you."

Naruto had to force himself to stay calm and not growl at the boy. That would have been a dead giveaway as to who he was. He was shocked instead when Shino slowly let his head rise to give the boy an even stare as he pushed his glasses further up his nose.

"I believe your name is Inari, correct? Why do you say these things to us? You don't know our capabilities or us, so it is illogical to believe that you know we will die."

Inari grit his teeth and slammed his hands down on the table.

"You don't know who you're up against. Gato is too powerful. He can't be beat."

Sasuke snorted and took another bite of rice.

"If you've given up on life, then be quiet. Let those of us who still want to live try to do our job."

Inari's eyes began to water as he slammed back from the table and stood, pointing at Sasuke.

"He's going to kill you! You have no idea! You don't even know!"

Shino calmly spoke up again, further infuriating the little boy.

"Your way of thinking is illogical and incomprehensible. You don't know how we will go about things, so our deaths being a certainty is unfounded. We are trained for battle from a young age and all Konoha ninjas present are taught death is an eventuality. We do not accept death when it comes though. Those who are _weak_ accept death."

Sakura glared at the Aburame boy.

"Shino! Be nice!"

Shino turned to the two standing cloaked figures and a hint of sarcasm could be heard in his voice.

"Do you not agree, Tragedy-san?"

Naruto nodded slowly and Inari began to sob before running out the door. Tazuna and Tsunami apologized for the boys' behaviour and told the gathered ninjas the sad story of Inari's adopted father and how the man was executed for opposing Gato. The tale only seemed to galvanize everyone's resolve that Gato was an evil man. For Naruto and Anko, it was further proof that bleeding the man dry before assassinating him was the best thing to do.

The two walked up the stairs as Kakashi excused himself and went outside. Team Seven continued to eat in silence and kept their thoughts to themselves. Naruto leaned against the wall and slowly took his mask off.

"I'm going to get his checkbook tonight. I'm sure he leaves it locked up in that office. Then I'll begin siphoning funds into that account. It'll be too late by the time he notices."

Anko nodded and sighed.

"That guy deserves it. He wrote that check for twenty million like it was nothing. It takes me months to even see a portion of that. How are you going to assassinate him?"

Naruto shrugged.

"I dunno. Probably in his sleep, barring the fact that he might hire more bodyguards. It'll be more difficult then, but I'll accomplish my mission. This was all my idea to take his money after all. I could have just killed him."

Anko snorted and lay down on the pallet she'd made.

"But this is so much more interesting. I can't believe we don't do it more often. Of course, it's not often we assassinate businessmen stupid enough to try to mess with a ninja village's economy. It's interesting to watch."

The door clicked open and they swept their masks back into place as Kakashi walked through the door. The tired Copy Ninja flopped onto his bed and pulled out his trusty book.

"So…how did your day go?"

Anko grinned and recounted their little adventure. Kakashi grunted his approval and kept reading. Anko asked how his team was doing. He shrugged and said 'fine'. No more information was shared.

Kakashi never was very good with sharing though…

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Anko smiled as Naruto melted out of the ground and tossed her a bankbook. She caught it and squealed with glee as she counted the zeroes.

"We're having dango again for lunch, right?"

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Five days since his fight with Zabuza and Kakashi was able to move around freely again. It helped that Tsunami's cooking was especially good and he was allowed to rest while grilling his team. They were able to treewalk with ease now and he was quite proud of them.

Anko was itching to remind him that Naruto could do that when he was five but didn't want to burst his bubble. He might cry after all…

They watched as Team Seven and Kakashi followed Tazuna to his bridge and went their own way after bidding Tsunami and Inari goodbye. Once they reached their usual stopping point, Naruto melted into the ground and moved toward the building.

In five days, he and Anko had managed to bleed Gato of nearly three billion. Three billion…that was more than he'd likely see again in his lifetime…and it was all in his name. The man still had two billion in his account and Naruto intended for that to go to Wave…seeing as how an undisclosed amount would got to Konoha anyway.

He was just about to go to Gato's office when he noticed an unusual amount of people in a conference room, all with weapons. He stopped for a moment to listen.

"…and now is the time to strike. Zabuza is already at the bridge waiting. I want you all to kill Zabuza and his accomplice and the ninjas who he's fighting with. The man who brings me Zabuza's head will get a nice, fat bonus. My personal bodyguard are going to convince Tazuna's daughter to visit us here, just in case you idiots fail in killing those ninjas. Now, move out! I want them dead by this afternoon!"

Naruto's heart leapt to his throat and he flew through the ground to Anko. He popped up right beside her and grabbed her shoulder, nearly making her shriek.

"Go to the bridge! Gato's moving early! He's going to enact his plan today!"

Anko took in his frantic gestures and almost panicked herself.

"But I thought Zabuza was still injured?"

"He recuperated early! He miraculously healed! It doesn't matter, just get to the bridge! I'll go take care of those two samurai!"

Anko nodded and watched as he rushed off into the distance. She took a deep breath and took off toward the bridge. Going up against a member of the legendary Seven Swordsmen of the Mist was not something that was on her to-do list. Being an apprentice of one of the Legendary Sannin was something to brag about, but she wasn't a member of an elite group of assassins…and that's what Zabuza was, an elite assassin. There were none better.

But she would have to be…

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As Naruto ran through the forest back to the house, his thoughts were in turmoil. He knew he could take the wannabe samurai, no problem there. What he was worried about was his fellow Konoha ninjas and if they were ready for someone of Zabuza's level. Hell, he was pretty sure he wasn't. Anko was good, but Zabuza was legendary. Kakashi was better, but he was injured.

…**why worry about them? Just kill these two and then go and slaughter the others…**

Naruto shook off the thoughts and kept running. Why did that damned fox always have to come out when he was stressed?

He heard Tsunami scream and prayed that they hadn't killed her or Inari. He melted into the ground and watched as the two samurai dragged the woman out without a struggle. Inari stood in the doorway, obviously having a battle with himself, before screaming and rushing the two men. Naruto's eyes widened as he watched the tall one begin to unsheathe his sword and he moved through the ground with blinding speed.

He watched as the sword swung down and the shocked look on Inari's face as it inched ever closer to his nose. An audible clang rang out and the little boy opened his eyes to find a black cloak in front of his eyes, the sword stopped by a huge knife. The tall samurai grunted and jumped back.

"Well, well, what have we here? A midget ninja?"

Naruto snorted and pushed Inari to the ground.

"Stay there. I'll get your mother."

The short samurai put his sword to Tsunami's throat and pushed slightly, making it bleed when her heart beat.

"Don't move. If you do, I'll slit her throat."

The unfeeling mask of tragedy unnerved the two samurai, it's frown and tears seeming to glow red in the sunlight, resembling blood.

"She is unimportant to my mission. Whether she lives or dies is inconsequential. You two will die here today."

…**commendable…**

The short samurai began to sweat and his nerve got the better of him. He started to pull the sword across her throat, but his arm wouldn't move. He looked over his shoulder to find another ninja with a tragedy mask holding his arm in a vice like grip.

…**ruthless…**

"Just because she is unimportant to my mission, does not mean that I will let her die, however."

The man's eyes widened as that giant field knife sunk itself into his temple and he fell to the ground, dead. The clone grabbed Tsunami and lowered her to the ground slowly, so she wouldn't go further into shock. The taller samurai held his blade in a defensive position and grit his teeth.

"He wasn't nearly on my level. You'll find me to be…"

…**not nearly good enough…**

His eyes rolled in the back of his head and he fell to the ground, landing on his sword. The clone behind him took its field knife out of the back of his head and wiped it on the dead man's pants before dispelling itself. Naruto turned around to Inari and sheathed his knife.

"Take care of you mother. Take her inside and get her some tea. What you did was foolish, Inari. You rushed them without a weapon when they obviously had you beat."

Inari put his head down and began to sniffle. The thought of being useless again was crushing. Naruto sighed and put his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"But…it was a brave thing. You saw your mother in trouble and wanted to help. That was admirable. Foolish, but admirable. I did something like that once when my mother was in danger. The difference was my opponent was outnumbered and I had the element of surprise. Don't ever do anything so foolish again."

…**giving hope is not advisable now…**

He leapt away, running toward the bridge, leaving an astounded and inspired Inari. Outnumbered and surprised, huh?

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Naruto ran as fast as he could. What bothered him was the damnable fog that had rolled in. It was almost like Kirigakure no Jutsu…

…**almost? It is, you fool…**

His eyes widened and he picked up the speed more. This was bad, very bad. If Zabuza was using this, then he had the advantage. He had to get there and help. He blew out of the forest and ran up to the bridge. He could barely make out the form of Sakura and Tazuna standing at the edge and ran past them into the fog. The sound of clanging could be heard, along with Anko's curses, so he knew she was still fine. He needed to look for the missing members of Team Seven.

A chill ran through the air and he turned his head to the left to find a mirror. He tilted his head in surprise and reached out to touch it when a senbon pierced his hand. Naruto jumped back and saw a figure sticking out of the mirror, wearing an ANBU-style mask and a teal kimono.

"Another one? I don't have time for this. Give me a moment please, and I'll be right with you."

Naruto blinked at the politeness of the masked ninja and cautiously crept forward. Suddenly, cries came from within the dome of mirrors and several thunks like metal impacting flesh. The mirrors shattered and fell away, revealing the masked ninja and two bodies on the floor. Naruto's bottom lip quivered and he ran to the bodies. It was Sasuke and Shino…and neither one was moving.

The masked ninja brushed his shoulders off and tilted his head slightly.

"They were comrades of yours, yes? I tried to get them to retreat, but they would not. I tried to be kind, but they stood in the way of Zabuza-sama's dream. I could not let them stop his ambitions."

Naruto's shoulders shook. He may not have liked Sasuke, but he was a comrade in arms. Shino was a very good friend of his. He'd known him since they were little. He knelt down and put his ear to each boy's mouth…no breathing. He stood slowly, his head pointed toward the ground.

…**show him no mercy. Kill him!…**

Naruto growled and bared his teeth at the ninja as he slid his knife from its sheath. He pointed it at the boy.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. What is yours?"

The masked boy fingered several senbon and crossed his arms over his chest.

"My name is Haku. Why do you ask?"

Naruto bent low, ready to spring.

"Because the condemned should know the name of their executioner."

…**I like that…**

He leapt for the boy and swiped his knife. Haku moved to the side and sent three senbon to Naruto's neck. They were all parried and sliced in half. Haku skidded for a few feet and stood ready.

"That is a most unusual knife. Can we not talk like civilized people?"

Naruto thrust his knife for Haku's throat and growled.

"Why are you helping Gato?"

"It is not that we wish to. He simply pays the most and Zabuza-sama needs money for his dream. It is a means to an end."

…**means to an end…**

Naruto growled and shook his head as he dodged another volley of senbon and moved closer. Why couldn't the damn fox just shut up? It was becoming harder to ignore it, especially in the heat of battle.

"People are dying because of this. Don't you care?"

Haku locked his senbon with Naruto's knife in a deadlock.

"They stand between Zabuza-sama and his dream, as do you. I cannot allow that. With us deadlocked, I have the advantage. I can still make handsigns…and you cannot."

Naruto watched as the boy stomped his foot and water rose around them into the air, forming thousands upon thousands of needles. His eyes widened exponentially. Haku said the name of the jutsu and it didn't register to Naruto. He tried to melt into the ground…but couldn't. He stared quickly at the ground in horror.

Water…water everywhere. He couldn't melt into water…and it was blocking the stone beneath. He was stuck. With no conscious thought he thrust his arms out and screamed to the heavens.

"Fuuton: Daitoppa!"

Haku sprang away as the ice needles blew in all directions. He stopped several feet away and watched as Naruto looked around frantically.

…**that was close. Perhaps you should listen to me and kill him now…**

Naruto formed clones and sent them at Haku, who quickly dispatched them and ran for the blonde. Naruto grunted as he was kicked in the gut and landed on his back in the water.

…**I'm tired of you ignoring my advice, boy. Listen to me…**

Naruto growled and stood up.

"Shut up."

Haku cocked his head to the side in confusion.

"I didn't say anything."

Naruto lunged for him, trying to land a punch and was knocked aside again by Haku's superior speed.

…**he's faster than you. At this rate, you'll be killed…**

"Be quiet."

Haku was beginning to get a little rattled by the blonde fighting him. He appeared to be having an argument with himself.

"Again, I didn't say anything."

Naruto ran in close, trying to use Kalaripayit to disable Haku but the boy blocked all his blows and punched him in the face. Naruto's mask cracked over the right eye, but didn't split, and he rolled across the ground and into the middle of the jounins' fight. Zabuza tried to behead him and Anko jerked him aside while Kakashi parried the blow.

…**pathetic. Get serious, boy, or you're finished…**

"Dammit Naru-chan! What the hell are you thinking?"

…**if you don't do something, you're all going to die…**

Naruto grabbed his head and whimpered.

"Shut up."

Anko blinked and glared at him.

"What did you say?"

…**he'll kill her first after he's done with you…**

"Shut up. Please, shut up."

Anko was starting to get worried as the blonde's hood fell away, revealing his fists in his hair.

"Naru-chan?"

…**he'll carve her into bits and then this entire land will fall. And it will all be your fault because you weren't serious enough…**

Naruto's face twisted into a look of agony as he threw his head back and howled to the heavens, his eyes clenched so hard that he was crying. The sound was unsettling and gave even Zabuza pause. Anko moved to protect him from the approaching Haku when Naruto leapt to his feet and screamed, making everyone stop and look at him.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, FOX!"

A sinister chuckle was heard in his mind and Naruto knew his mistake instantly as that small voice in the back of his head was suddenly very loud and audible.

**GOTCHA!**

The entire bridge was silent and no one moved, all watching the blonde as his eyes rolled back and his head lolled to the side as he stood on the cobblestones. Anko watched in horror as a pulse of red chakra came from Naruto, blowing away the mist and revealing everyone standing around the blonde haired, masked ninja.

"Oh gods. He acknowledged it…"

**Ta Da! Hope that was fun to read. I might start working on Paid In Blood next. If I decide to carry on with it, it'll be an every now and then story, since I'm not usually one for dark fics. Also, stop by and check out my c2. We have 79 members and going strong. My staff and I try to stay on top of things and archive new stories that come out that are in good taste and are easy on the eyes. That's all.**

**Let me know what you think.**


	21. The Voice has a Face

And here's Chapter 21. I rewrote this one like five times because I always kept rethinking all the scenes. Hope you guys enjoy my version of the Kyuubi. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...**Hurt**_ by Johnny Cash._

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**

Naruto opened his eyes to the sensation of overwhelming anger. It was stifling. He could practically taste it in the air. He felt a presence behind him and turned his head slowly to find a very irate Kyuubi.

His appearance, however, was not what Naruto had expected.

Instead of a fox several stories tall, Naruto was face to face with a man with red eyes and slicked back red hair with two black streaks in the middle. The man wore a black business suit with a white button-down shirt and black tie beneath, a red carnation in the buttonhole of the jacket's pocket. But despite his handsome visage, it didn't make up for the frightening look on his face. The glare he was giving Naruto was terrifying.

**I said no mercy! I said to kill him! I said to save your friends! What the hell is so hard about that? Why the hell didn't you listen to me? That man nearly beheaded you, you idiot! I can't heal those kinds of injuries! What the _fuck_ were you thinking?**

Naruto merely stared into the man's eyes, backing away as he did. The anger was palpable in the air and all of it was directed at him. His brain, while telling him to flee posthaste, was also trying to wrap itself around the fact that the Kyuubi was not a fox, but a man.

The Kyuubi noticed the boy was staring at him more in wonder now than fear and growled low.

**What the hell are you looking at?**

Naruto took a step back again and stuttered out a reply.

"I…I thought you were a fox."

The Kyuubi's eyes narrowed dangerously and the growl got louder.

**That's it. I was trying to be nice by appearing as a human, but now I'm pissed.**

Before Naruto's eyes the man immediately disappeared and was replaced by the Kyuubi he had seen illustrated in books, a fox of massive proportions. It glared at him with those blood red eyes that everyone feared and bared its teeth. Naruto watched in horror as it raised its paw and slammed it to the ground, rattling the area around them.

**I'm sick of you ignoring me, boy! I've given you nothing but helpful advice ever since I first contacted you. Perhaps you'll respond to an asswhipping better!**

The paw raised and descended toward Naruto at frightening speeds and he froze, unable to move. Right before the paw crushed him, chains rushed from the wall, bearing the word 'seal', and wrapped around the giant fox, dragging it back to the wall, slamming it against the steel. It thrashed around for several moments, before becoming still and letting out a sigh that made Naruto's hair wave.

**Alright. I won't try to harm you. But you have to _listen_ to me.**

The chains slowly left the fox, the last one being the one around its neck. Once it was gone, the fox collapsed to the ground, coughing and hacking, gasping for air. It took two great gulps and glared at Naruto.

**Now listen to me. We don't have much time. I'm going to change back into my human form. If I try to keep my temper, will you listen to me?**

Naruto nodded dumbly, completely scared out of his mind, and watched as the fox changed back into the suit wearing man. The Kyuubi straightened out its suit and ran a hand through its hair. The red-eyed man told Naruto to close his eyes and then open them. Naruto did and gasped.

Instead of the drab, gray cell they had been in, they now stood in the middle of a Victorian receiving room, complete with leather furniture, a fireplace, a giant organ, and bookcases filled to the brim lining the walls. Naruto shifted his feet and found he was standing on something plush. Looking down revealed a beautiful rug of oranges and reds. He leaned down and rubbed his hand across it. It felt so real.

The Kyuubi coughed to get his attention and motioned with his hand to two highback leather chairs before the roaring fireplace.

**I apologize for my rudeness earlier. Come, sit. We have much to discuss.**

Naruto was wary of the demon, but nodded his head and walked over to the chair and took a seat. He didn't trust the demon a bit, but he didn't know enough about the situation to have an advantage yet. He'd been taught that when captured, you went along with the enemy and tried to give them a sense of superiority in the hopes that they would drop their guard at some point.

The chair was comfortable and as the Kyuubi took its seat, it gave him a moment to assess the situation. He was in the Kyuubi's domain, but it apparently couldn't harm him because of the seal. It had been trying to get him to talk to it for quite some time, so it wanted something. He had information, but how to use it?

The Kyuubi sat down and put one leg over the other as it laced its fingers under its chin. It looked at Naruto and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

**I've been trying to get you to acknowledge my presence for almost three years now. If you would have spoken to me back then, I wouldn't have had to use such dirty tricks and verbal baiting to get you to speak with me. We wouldn't have to do this midbattle. But now is as good as ever, I suppose.**

It observed the boy; taking in the look Naruto was giving it. He had expected the boy to be afraid, but that fear soon turned to steely resolve and shrewdness once he saw that the seal protected him. The boy was interesting, always had been.

"Why do you want me to talk to you? You die if I die, right? Why the hell would you distract me in the middle of a fight then?"

**You were distracting yourself, drowning in the misery of losing your friend and fellow ninja. I merely took advantage of the situation because I knew you would be frustrated and tell me to leave you be.**

Naruto grit his teeth and slammed his hands on the armrests.

"Then why ask me to talk to you? What purpose does it have?"

The Kyuubi sat an elbow on an armrest and leaned its chin on its closed fist.

**Because I'm bored. I'm bored…and I found out a way to at least see the world again. I just need your help to do it.**

Naruto gaped at the Kyuubi, unable to process its answer for a moment. His mind snapped back suddenly and Naruto growled at the red haired man.

"You're _bored_? That's your whole damned reason? It's your fault you're in this prison, so why in the seven hells should I help _you_?"

The Kyuubi grinned at the boy's choice of words and leaned forward in its chair.

**Because it would be beneficial to both of us. Your generosity would not go unrewarded. I'm offering my services in exchange for the opportunity to _feel_ and _see_ again. I could personally give two shits about your well-being, boy, but since if you die, I die, I'm willing to compromise.**

Naruto was still pissed at being manipulated into being in the Kyuubi's prison, but the natural inquisitiveness that had been instilled in him by the Sandaime was overpowering both his fear and his ire. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, glaring at the Kyuubi.

"Explain."

The Kyuubi's grin widened.

**Gladly. You see, boy, whenever you got angry or scared in the past, my chakra would leak out, giving me a small glimpse into what was happening around you. Most of it I gleaned from your mind, but some I was able to see or feel, depending on how volatile your emotions were. I just want that chance full time. It's boring not knowing what's going on outside. **

It leaned forward a little more.

**And I want to be able to speak with you. I'm not wise or all knowing, but I have years and years of knowledge I can and will share with you. If I can speak with you, I can give my opinion on the matter and give suggestions.**

"Your suggestions so far have been to kill everyone I come across."

The Kyuubi shrugged and sat back against the cushion.

**Not like you weren't going to anyway. That's your job, _assassin._ Get used to it. Now, I'll need your answer quickly. You're sort of a sitting duck out there.**

Naruto's eyes widened, remembering that he had been in the middle of a fight and he had stumbled into the jounin's battle. His eyes darted back and forth, trying to think if this would be a good idea.

The Kyuubi's knowledge would be a boon to him. Perhaps he could get it to fill in some blank holes in history. Letting it talk to him and give him ideas and pointers in exchange for letting it see and feel what he did wasn't a bad trade. Well, he _did_ have excellent luck. Perhaps this was a blessing in disguise. He stood from his chair and locked eyes with the Kyuubi.

"If I do this, then all you want is the ability to see and feel what I do, correct? And the ability to talk to me? That's all?"

**Correct. That is all I want besides you actually taking my opinion into consideration once in a while.**

"I'll think about it."

The Kyuubi rose from its seat and offered Naruto its hand. Before Naruto could take it, the Kyuubi pulled its hand back.

**One more thing. To keep this little chat-line going, you're going to need a teeny, tiny amount of my chakra running through your body at all times. Unfortunately, it's going to alter your appearance somewhat, as it always does when you channel it.**

Naruto turned his head to the side slightly and narrowed his eyes.

"How bad are we talking?"

**Not bad. It's a very small amount. Your fangs will probably elongate a little more and your nails will lengthen and become stronger. Your cheek marks will darken slightly and your eyes might have slits from now on. I don't know for sure but more than likely that's what will happen. The same things that happen when I was able to speak with you before are probably all that will occur.**

Naruto nodded and grasped Kyuubi's hand, watching as the red chakra seeped from the man's body and began to crawl around him. He watched with fascination as his nails lengthened and his fangs poked over his bottom lip slightly. He licked them and winced when he cut his tongue.

"Well, that's going to take some getting used to. Now how do I get out of here?"

The Kyuubi pointed to his feet and Naruto looked down to see them fading away.

**That's how. Our business is done, so you have no more reason to be here. **

As Naruto began to fade faster, the Kyuubi suddenly had a thought.

**What made you decide to deal with me?**

Naruto gave him a small smile as his torso disappeared.

"JiJi once told me that sometimes to protect angels, one must make a deal with the devil. You're my devil, Kyuubi. Just because I made a deal with you though, doesn't mean that I trust you."

The Kyuubi returned Naruto's smile.

**Just so you know, I don't trust you either. But we've got all the time in the world to at least learn to tolerate each other now. See you on the flip side.**

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Anko had been staring at Naruto for what felt like an eternity, even though she knew only a few seconds had passed. The red aura had disappeared into him and now his fingernails were lengthening. She was afraid that the Kyuubi was breaking loose and that she would have to kill her favorite pupil. She didn't want to do that. There was still so much teasing to do…

Kakashi was more wary than Anko was at the moment and was looking for the best opportunity to strike at Zabuza. He kept cutting his eyes back to Naruto, afraid that the red aura was a sign of things to come, while keeping Zabuza in his sight.

Zabuza was furious that the boy had blown away his mist, but was mystified by the fact that the blonde was now comatose, the red aura around him the only thing that moved. He wanted to kill the kid, but Kakashi stood in between. He'd simply have to wait for Haku to catch up.

Anko reached out for Naruto as the aura dissipated and his nails stopped growing. She put her hand on his shoulder and shook him, gasping when her hand was grabbed, the nails digging into her flesh. A familiar voice brought her anxiety level down a great bit.

"Anko-sensei, I think you and Kakashi-san should take care of Zabuza. I'll deal with Haku. I'm sorry to have bothered you."

**Ah, the feel of the air on skin. I thought I'd never get to feel this again…**

Naruto ignored the Kyuubi's gleeful rantings and turned to Anko, speaking softly.

"I'm sorry, sensei. I didn't mean to bring you trouble. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an enemy to dispose of."

Anko grabbed his arm before he rushed off and he turned back to look at her.

"Naru-chan, are you alright?"

"I've never been better. I'll tell you what happened later, ok? Get Zabuza."

She nodded and the two masked ninjas leapt back into battle, Anko engaging Zabuza with her snakes and Naruto rushing to pick up his field knife. Kakashi leapt back in to help Anko, swiping at Zabuza with a kunai and dividing his attention.

Naruto was almost to his knife when senbon landed in front of him and he leapt back as Haku landed in front of his knife, picking it up.

"I'm afraid I can't allow you to have this, Naruto-san. You're much too dangerous when it's in your possession."

Haku formed a single seal and his mirrors rose again around Naruto. The feminine boy tossed the field knife aside and stepped into the ice. The blonde boy whirled round and round looking for his knife, and found it just outside the dome.

**Guess you'll have to do this barehanded then. Believe me, it's much more satisfying.**

Naruto nodded his head absentmindedly and watched as Haku appeared in the mirror.

"It doesn't matter how fast you are, Naruto-san, you won't be fast enough while I have this jutsu up. No one can touch me while my mirrors are standing. And don't try fire. Your Uchiha friend tried to melt them already. It doesn't work like that."

Naruto grinned and flexed his claws.

'_A little more chakra please. The claws could be a little longer.'_

**I thought you'd never ask.**

Haku watched with wide eyes as Naruto's nails became longer and began to turn black, like the claws of an animal. The fake hunter ninja activated his copies in the mirrors and brandished his senbon needles, ready to strike.

He was not ready, though, for the bestial growl that emanated from the blonde and shook him to the bone.

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Zabuza blocked a strike from Anko and leapt back, twisting his head this way and that to find the source of the growl. He noticed that Kakashi looked nervous as well. But Anko…her shoulders indicated she was giggling.

"What the hell is so funny, bitch?"

Anko giggled some more.

"That was just Naru-chan, nothing to worry about. Well, your little helper has plenty to worry about."

Zabuza seemed to pale a little. The masked, blonde ninja did not seem to be right in the head, seemingly talking to voices in his mind. He feared for Haku's safety.

"What is he? A demon?"

Anko's eyes narrowed dangerously, not that you could see it behind the mask.

"He's not a demon, but he's as close as you'll ever see or hear in your now pathetically short life. Kakashi, I'm bored now. Let's end this."

The Copy Ninja threw another nervous glance in Naruto's direction and nodded to Anko. He was tired of this as well. While she engaged Zabuza, he prepared his own personal jutsu. Anko, even though she was midswing with a kunai, knew that she was supposed to hold the swordsman and sighed.

'_Fucking showoff.'_

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Sakura shivered when she heard the growl and stepped closer to Tazuna. She looked back over her shoulder to the old man.

"Did you hear that?"

"How in the hell could I not hear it? What was that?"

Sakura turned back to the front and shook herself to get rid of the goosebumps.

"I don't know, but I hope it wasn't our enemies."

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Haku shivered as the growl died down. This boy before him was undoubtedly the most frightening person he had ever faced. Everything about him screamed 'danger'; from the way he held that knife to that ungodly growl that had just ripped through the air. He needed to finish this quickly. The ice mirrors took a lot of chakra to maintain and he had already done the jutsu once that day.

The copies and the original all brandished senbon and launched the metal spikes at Naruto. He didn't block them or even move and, to Haku's surprise, they struck home and the blonde boy fell to the ground. Haku waited for a moment to see if he would get up but he never moved. Still maintaining the mirrors, he appeared from the one directly behind Naruto and padded carefully toward the body.

**Wait for it.**

Naruto remained still, watching Haku approach.

'_Are you sure this is going to work? I don't have enough control to do this.'_

**Don't worry. Control is all well and good but if you have the power, then control is overrated. I got this. He'll never see it coming.**

When Haku was within three feet of the 'corpse', Naruto suddenly leapt to his feet, faced the boy, and the red chakra exploded from his body, pushing the senbon out and impaling Haku. The black-haired boy barely had enough time to throw his hands up instinctively to cover his face before his own needles embedded in him with enough force to knock him off his feet. He rolled backwards on the ground and into one of the mirrors, caught his breath and shot across to another, the copies covering his escape.

Naruto winced as the holes in his body closed up. That tactic had been incredibly painful and if Anko had seen him do it, she probably would have beaten him within an inch of his life. Besides being painful, it was stupid, seeing as how many pressure points had been closed and without the Kyuubi, he would have been succeptible to having his throat slit.

This part of the fight would never be discussed with Anko. He wasn't sure he'd survive the beating…much less the lecture…

Haku panted as he observed the blonde. No one had ever survived this long in this jutsu, especially after he had impaled them with a shower of senbon. He knew he had hit the right pressure points to make the other boy collapse. He knew he had! How was he still standing like nothing happened?

"What are you? You can't possibly be human."

Naruto, even though Haku couldn't see it, let a small, sad smile settle onto his face.

"I'm human, but then, I'm so much more. I'm an anomaly in the mortal world, something that should never exist. I'm your executioner, Haku-san, so it really doesn't matter what I am."

Haku looked for any way to dispatch the boy before him. He was dangerously low on senbon, having used almost half his cache on the other two boys. Suddenly, he remembered the giant knife that the blonde had tried to fight him with and darted from mirror to mirror, using his reflections as a distraction. He finally reached the mirror that the knife was behind and leaned out, plucking it from the ground. The reflections mirrored him and now they all had the knife.

Naruto could see where this was headed and dodged a stab as Haku flew by him. Several more attempts all ended in failure as Naruto nimbly dodged them all. That's when it came to him.

'_He's getting tired. His attacks are getting slower and slower.'_

**Attack him when he comes by again. Try to grab the knife from his hand and slash at him.**

Naruto readied himself and watched as Haku exited his mirror and flew toward him. The blonde flexed his hands and reached out for the wrist holding the field knife. Haku spun in mid air and launched a kick at Naruto's head, landed and darted into another mirror. Naruto snarled and bent low.

'_I'll get him this time. Just be sure to heal me.'_

**What the hell are you planning?**

'_Just heal me, damn it!'_

Naruto readied himself again and as Haku got closer and closer, he waited. Ten feet, nine feet, eight, six, four, two…

'_NOW!'_

Naruto watched where Haku was aiming and jumped forward. The knife found its way home and embedded itself into Naruto's side. Haku froze when the knife sank in and his head snapped up when Naruto's arms wrapped around his and the blonde laced his fingers together, trapping the two of them face to face.

"Sorry, but this is where the game ends."

Naruto jerked his head back and then slammed it forward, headbutting Haku as hard as he could. The masks of both boys cracked and Naruto headbutted Haku again and again until the blood ran down both of their foreheads, the masks long ago crumbled away. The feminine boy's head was rolling, his vision blurred, as he stared at his attacker.

Even through the pain and distorted vision though, he could see Naruto's fearsome visage. His fangs were poking out over his bottom lip and his whisker marks had darkened and deepened. What scared him the most, however, were the blue slitted eyes of the boy. Haku tried to struggle away but was held in the Naruto's iron grip. The blonde locked eyes with him and even though they looked evil, the eyes were so sad.

"I didn't want to kill you, Haku-san, but you are trying to kill a client of Konoha. I can't allow that. You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Naruto, while holding Haku's arms, was able to cross his fingers and form a single Kage Bunshin, wearing the tragedy mask. The clone made the single handsign for Kirigakure no Jutsu and pulled the knife from Naruto's side. The blonde winced and grit his teeth as Kyuubi began to heal him, grumbling the whole time. The clone positioned itself behind Haku and poised the knife to slit the boy's throat. Haku stared sadly at Naruto.

"Why did you make more fog? What purpose does it serve now?"

"The pink-haired girl does not need to know my identity. I wear a mask for a reason. That's why I turned my back to her before I started headbutting you. The second purpose is that I don't think she needs to see this. I don't think she can handle it."

Haku nodded his head and presented his throat, accepting his fate, when his body went rigid.

The two boys froze when a loud chirping sound was heard and Naruto knew what it was. Chidori, the original jutsu of the Copy Ninja. If that was pulled out, it meant Zabuza was dead. A scream echoed through the air, followed by a loud squelching noise and a thump. The chirping sound died away and Naruto turned his attention back to Haku.

"Your master is dead. Between my sensei and Kakashi-san it was a foregone conclusion."

Haku's head hung with sadness. He had failed his master and their fates were sealed. He presented his throat to Naruto again, his eyes pleading for a merciful death. Naruto nodded to his clone and closed his eyes as it put the knife over Haku's throat. Haku closed his eyes and felt the clone clap its hand over his mouth, to silence him. He felt a sharp pain in his throat and it became hard to breathe.

Haku's eyes flew open and he stared with fear at Naruto, taking in his killer's visage. It looked so utterly sad, as if he truly hadn't wanted to do it. As the darkness began to creep into his vision, a weight seemed to take over. As blood gurgled up and over the fingers of the clone, Haku felt at peace. Perhaps he would see Zabuza-sama in the next life and he could continue to serve him there.

For a poor soul like Haku, who had known only service to others his whole life, it was not so much to ask. His body finally gave out and he slumped in Naruto's arms.

So ended the life of Haku, apprentice to a former Swordsman of the Mist.

Naruto lowered the body to the ground and pulled the sash from around Haku's waist, winding it around his mouth and head, forming a makeshift turban and facemask, the only thing showing being his slitted eyes. The clone dismissed itself and Naruto cringed at the memory of Haku's blood running over his fingers.

**He died an honorable death to someone better than him. Do not dishonor his death by being cowardly.**

'_Please, don't talk right now.'_

The Kyuubi remained silent and Naruto let the Kirigakure no Jutsu slip away, revealing him to the world again. He pulled the hood of his cloak over his head again and began the trek over to Anko and Kakashi.

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Anko looked down at Zabuza's body, Kakashi standing beside her. She had not considered how strong the man was, but he had been fearsome. Until Naruto blew that mist away, he had had the advantage. A true master of the silent kill…

'_Too bad he wasn't a Konoha ninja. Both Naru-chan and myself could have benefited from learning a bit from him.'_

Movements out of the corner of her eye made her turn her head and she found a mummified Naruto standing between her and Kakashi, staring down at Zabuza.

"Did you take care of the other boy?'

Naruto nodded his head and locked eyes with her. She gasped as she stared into his slitted irises.

"Yeah. Slit his throat. It wasn't pretty."

Kakashi nodded his head and clapped his hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Death never is. You did well."

A shriek from behind them made them all whirl to see what the problem was and found an ecstatic Sakura hugging an unhappy Sasuke, who was very much alive, while Tazuna helped Shino to his feet. Naruto grinned at seeing his friend alive and was about to see how he was doing when a loud 'ahem' cut through the air.

Everyone on the bridge turned to find Gato with his army. The short little fat man gave them all a greasy grin and tapped his cane on the ground.

"I love being a smart businessman. I hire Zabuza to kill Tazuna, Tazuna hires ninjas, the ninjas kill Zabuza so I don't have to pay him, and then me and my boys come in and run damage control. I save money, they get paid, and we all get what we want. Now _that's _smart business."

Naruto pulled his knife from its scabbard again. He hadn't thought he'd have to deal with Gato so soon. He'd thought that seeing what the ninjas could do would make the arrogant bastard rethink his strategy.

His mistake. A mistake that would be very costly.

"Anko-sensei, Gato is mine. The rest are yours and Kakashi's. Once I dispose of Gato, I'll join the fight."

Kakashi frowned at the shorter ninja and slipped his headband back down over his eye.

"And who died and made you boss, genin?"

"Gato is our mission, Kakashi, not yours. Go get him, Naruto."

Naruto turned with wide-eyes to Anko.

"You called me by my name?"

She smiled and ruffled his hair.

"Don't get too big for your britches. You've just graduated from a brat to a big brat in my eyes. Now go get that bastard before I come to my senses."

Naruto saluted and began to walk toward the group of bandits. Kakashi was about to rush in, but Anko held him back.

"You're about to see why he's an assassin-in-training. Just watch."

Kakashi gave Anko a hard look, but stood still. What could the boy possibly do?

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The thugs all laughed as Naruto walked toward them, his mummified look only adding to the humor.

"What the hell is this? They send a midget mummy up against us?"

The thugs laughed harder at that, but the laughter died as Naruto began to sink into the stone of the bridge. The fight had not carried that far down and the bridge was fairly dry. He had started to melt into the bridge on purpose, making it look as if he was walking down stairs. Right before he totally disappeared into the stone, Naruto pointed the knife at Gato and made a slashing motion across his throat.

Needless to say, Gato was more than a little worried.

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Kakashi watched with wonder as Naruto sank into the ground and disappeared.

"Holy shit! What the hell was that, genjutsu?"

Anko smirked behind her mask and elbowed him.

"Nope. Sorry, can't tell you, it's a secret. Now let's get ready to go. The fireworks are about to start."

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Gato spun round and round, looking for his would-be killer, but could find no sign of him. The bandits were on edge. Suddenly, one of them screamed and dropped to the ground dead. Anko and Kakashi rushed forward and began to slash their way through the throng, the bandits dropping like flies.

Gato tried to run, looking back over his shoulder to see if he was being pursued, but when he turned back to the front he was met by the blue eyes of Naruto.

"Where ya going, buddy? We haven't finished doing business yet."

Gato put his hand over his heart, trying to calm down.

"Look, I'll give you whatever you want if you'll let me go. Women, money, power, whatever you want!"

Naruto narrowed his eyes and kicked Gato in the gut, sending the man flying back towards the slaughter. He could see the townspeople approaching on the other side of the bridge, armed with clubs and pitchforks. Well, they were too late.

Anko and Kakashi killed the last few that had not escaped by diving over the side of the bridge and watched as Naruto stood over Gato, his knife held out to the side, parallel to the ground.

Time stopped for everyone on the bridge as Naruto leaned over and grabbed Gato's collar and began dragging the man back toward the others. Silence reigned over the bridge, the only sound being the cursing, pleading, and begging of Gato and the heavy footsteps of Naruto. Naruto thrust him down onto his knees before the people of Wave, casting his gaze over those who Gato had hurt.

Inari was staring at him with wide eyes, but who could blame the boy. Gato, who was supposedly untouchable, sat before him a broken man, his death inevitable. Tazuna watched with an impassive stare, glad that the man would get what he deserved.

The people of Wave were silent, waiting for vindication and the execution of their biggest persecutor. He then cast his gaze to the ninjas of Konoha.

Anko was looking at him with pride. Even though he couldn't see it, it was radiating off of her. Her student was coming along nicely and it wasn't often that Konoha got such a big slice of the pie thanks to a little ingenuity. Maybe the Sandaime would give her a big bonus! She nearly wet herself just thinking about it.

Kakashi was beginning to seriously reconsider his appraisal of Naruto and his skills. If this is what Sasuke had to go up against…he needed to step up his teams training.

Team Seven just stared in awe. Sakura had been blinded by the Kirigakure no Jutsu for most of the fights, but she knew that the masked ninja had fought and killed Haku. Sasuke was not happy about that fact, but took solace in the fact that his Sharingan had finally awakened. Shino held in his thoughts. He'd find out later. After all, he knew that Naruto knew that he knew who Naruto was.

He knew.

Naruto looked back down at Gato and grabbed the man's shoulder, his claws sinking into Gato's flesh.

"Any last words?"

Gato glared up at him with hate-filled eyes.

"Yeah. Go fu…"

Naruto embedded his knife into Gato's spine at the base of the neck, severing his spinal cord. Gato gurgled for a moment and slumped over dead.

The entire bridge was silent for a moment before someone whispered.

"He's dead? He's dead!"

And the place erupted into cheers.

Anko pulled him aside and whispered in his ear.

"Very good. We'll go back for the rest of the assets tonight and wipe this bastard's name from the earth. And when we're done, you and I are going to have a little chat."

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Back at Tazuna's house, a day after the affair, Naruto and Anko were sitting in Kakashi's room when someone knocked on the door. Anko asked who it was.

"Shino. May I come in?"

Anko opened the door and ushered the boy in, closing it shut tightly behind him. Shino looked down at Naruto, who now sported one of Kakashi's masks and a pair of shades he had pilfered from somewhere, and his eyebrow rose ever so slightly.

"Is there anything else you've been hiding from your friends over the years, _Naruto_?"

The blonde sighed and leaned back against the wall.

"I can't tell you a lot of things, Shino. I knew you'd figure it out, given your bugs knew my chakra signature. You can't tell Sakura and Sasuke who I am. You weren't even supposed to know."

Shino nodded. Naruto was never more grateful that his friend thought logically and with the purpose of understanding everything from the simplest and most straightforward view.

"I'm here on a training trip with Anko-sensei. JiJi thought that Tazuna's story sounded a bit shaky and we were headed in the direction anyway, so he sent us along after you. Just don't tell anyone, ok?"

Shino didn't believe him fully, but nodded his head, knowing that there were just certain things that Naruto couldn't divulge to him.

"What happened to your eyes?"

Naruto's aura darkened for a moment, slightly scaring Shino.

"…I can't tell you that. One day, perhaps, but not today."

Shino nodded his head and walked toward the door. He grasped it on his way out and turned to Naruto.

"One day, you will have to explain everything to me, Naruto. I await the day you fully trust me. I'm sure our other friends do too."

The door clicked shut and Naruto just looked at the ground.

"He really has a knack for making someone feel small _and_ like a pile of shit."

Anko sat beside him and grinned, wrapping her arm around his shoulder.

"Don't worry about it. When you do finally tell him, he'll understand why you didn't tell him earlier. Now, I believe that you owe me an explanation."

Naruto grinned sheepishly and shook his head.

"I don't want to explain it a lot so can we wait until we report to JiJi?"

Anko narrowed her eyes and stood up.

"You're lucky I like you, brat. Now get your things together. We're heading out in the morning."

"What did Tazuna think when you gave him the funds to get the country back on its feet?"

"He nearly passed out. He'll really cry when we send him the bill for saving an entire country."

Naruto shrugged and began to seal things away.

"Sucks to be him."

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The trip back to Konoha was uneventful for the most part, except for Sakura and Sasuke trying to see who was under the masks. Anko and Naruto had to repeatedly fend off attempts to unmask them in their sleep until Anko threatened to let her snakes eat them. Shino was the only one of Team Seven that Naruto would speak with, and then only if they were totally alone.

Sarutobi had been overjoyed at seeing the ninjas back in Konoha and had listened intently as Kakashi recounted his team's adventure. Sarutobi smiled at the three genin and gave them the obligatory 'good job' speech. They left with smiles and were instructed to pick up their pay later. Kakashi was asked to stay behind for further debriefing. Then the Hokage turned to Anko and Naruto and the smile left slightly.

"Remove that headwrap, Naruto. You seem to have something to hide."

Naruto sighed and unwound the sash slowly. He heard Sarutobi gasp and winced at the look on his grandfather's face.

"What did you do?"

It was more a demand than a question and Naruto suddenly felt five years old again.

"Well, it's like this…"

**You are so screwed.**

'_Shut up, asshole. This is all your fault.'_

**Ooo, Mr. Snippy.**

Sarutobi coughed into his hand to get Naruto's attention.

"Just to let you know, _you're _telling your mother about this, not me."

Naruto blanched and heard the Kyuubi snicker.

'_Instead of laughing, why don't you tell me how to get out of this predicament with some of your _oh-so-wonderful_ advice?'_

**I'm not a miracle worker. You're on your own here.**

"Naruto?"

The blonde snapped out of his stupor, not thinking before he spoke.

"Sorry, Hokage-sama, I was arguing with the Kyuubi."

The room suddenly became much colder and Sarutobi's eyes hardened.

"I believe explanations are in order, Naruto. _Now_!"

Naruto gulped and nodded his head shakily.

**All the knowledge in the world can't keep you out of trouble with that mouth of yours.**

'_I hate you.'_

**Hope that was to your liking. I will try to make my Kyuubi neutral toward Naruto, only dispensing advice when it gets the urge...or if it's really bored.**** It really and truly could care less about Naruto's well-being, except in a fight. A Kyuubi that is neutral...Let me know what you think.**


	22. A Wedge Driven

And here's Chapter 22. Two stories out in one day. I can't get on the internet anymore at work, so my time is kind of limited until I get access at my house. Bear with me. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...**Voices**_ by Godsmack._

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO**

"We're waiting, Naruto."

The blonde looked at Sarutobi helplessly, trying desperately to figure out a way out of his predicament. Sadly, he could find none.

"I don't want to have to explain this over and over, Hokage-sama. Could you call my senseis and mom and dad and ask them to come to your office?"

Sarutobi leveled a glare at the boy but nodded his head in compliance.

"Very well. You three have a seat. I'll alert the guards to retrieve our other guests. Rewrap yourself, Naruto. We can't have you scaring everyone just yet."

Naruto nodded his head and carefully wrapped the sash around his head. Kakashi had repossessed his mask after they had arrived, saying Naruto could get his own. Anko pushed his shoulder playfully and grinned at him.

"Don't worry, brat. Not like they'll kill you for making a split-second decision."

"Maybe. Or maybe mom'll just ground me for life."

"She can't do that, kiddo. The Hokage supercedes her."

Naruto nodded and turned his head as Sarutobi padded back into the office. The old Hokage groaned as he gingerly sat down in his chair and picked up his pipe, packing it with some of his best tobacco.

"You're going to be the death of me one day, Naruto. I never know what to expect from you. Can you at least alter your appearance back to normal?"

Naruto shook his head and Sarutobi sighed again.

"Well, we can't let the populace see you like this. It'll cause a riot. You'll have to start wearing a mask, at least until I can come up with a plausible excuse for your appearance."

Kakashi, who had been silent up til then, chimed in.

"Can't we just say that it's part of the seal? You know, he absorbs some of the Kyuubi's chakra each year and his appearance changes slightly? It's not like they don't already know what he is and his fangs and fingernails have always been somewhat elongated."

Anko nodded eagerly, agreeing with Kakashi's assessment.

"Yeah, that could work. We'll just say that Naru-chan is growing into his role. It's not like he's going to sprout ears and a tail anytime soon?"

She turned to the blonde with a curious expression on her face.

"Right?"

'_Kyuubi?'_

**No ears or tails. You're not genetically predisposed to them. Besides, your claws and fangs lengthening is just your body adapting to an influx of power and hastening along their growth process. Think of it as a natural defense, like that of a real fox.**

'_Natural defense, huh?'_

**Yes. Now leave me the hell alone. **

"Naruto?"

The blonde shook his head and smiled at his grandfather.

"Sorry. I was asking the Kyuubi if I would grow ears or a tail. He said no."

Sarutobi seemed to deflate with relief in his chair, happy with the answer.

"That's good. Now, I think…"

He never finished his sentence since the door to his office slammed open and Naruto was suddenly engulfed in a hug by Eri.

"Oh my poor baby! What did they do to you? Are you hurt? Are you ok? Why did your grandfather summon us here? What's going on?"

"Eri, calm down. You're scaring everyone. Hello, Kakashi, Anko, dad…"

He smiled at Naruto who he could see, even through the wrap around his head, was turning blue from lack of oxygen. Yahiko put a hand on Eri's shoulder and she loosened her grip on the blonde, gaining a loud gulp of air from him.

"Son, mind telling us why we were called here?"

"Yes, Naruto-kun, perhaps you would care to share this with us?"

Heads turned to find Kurenai strolling in, Asuma right behind her. The jounin smiled and waved jovially at his nephew, but the smile died when Eri glared at him. Asuma blinked and suddenly remembered the cigarette in his mouth. It was put out immediately.

"Asuma, shut the door, please. Naruto has something to show you all and I don't want it getting out just yet."

Asuma turned the door lock and took his place beside Kurenai, the adults forming a sem-circle around the blonde boy. Sarutobi sat at his desk, observing the whole affair.

"Naruto, remove your wrappings."

The boy sighed and slowly removed the wrapping and took off the sunglasses. The adults all collectively gasped.

"Holy shit!"

"Oh my god, Naruto!"

"What happened to you? Oh, my poor baby!"

"…wow, you look even more like a vampire now, son…"

Eri grasped his face, turning him this way and that, lifting his lip to feel the fangs and running her fingertips over his claws. She gazed deep into his now-slitted eyes and sniffled.

"What happened to you?"

Naruto let the sash fall to the ground and dropped the glasses on the desk. What was to follow was probably going to be uncomfortable and painful for him.

"I'm going to tell you all what happened. Just, please, don't hurt me."

Eyebrows slowly rose on all the adults' heads and chairs were taken. If it was bad enough to ask for immunity from physical harm, then Naruto must have screwed up royally.

"Ok, here's how it happened…"

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An hour later and there were several open mouths in that office. Naruto had kept his story going at a quick pace, for fear that one of them would come to their senses and stop him. He didn't think he'd be able to start up again if they stopped him.

"…and then we came back here. That's that."

He looked from one person to the next, wondering what they were thinking behind their blank stares. The last person he looked at was his grandfather, who had taken a seat before him with the others. What surprised him was that Sarutobi's eyes were not glazed over. Instead, they were alight with something akin to fury.

The elderly Hokage rose from his chair and locked eyes with Naruto, speaking in an even tone. Naruto knew though, after years of spending time with the man, that he was not amused. Sarutobi set his hands on Naruto's shoulders, squeezing them ever so slightly, with just enough pressure to let Naruto know he was not pleased.

"I believe I told you years ago never to talk to that beast. You were to ignore it because we don't know what could happen. Now you come here and tell me that not only did you speak with it, but you allow it to see and feel what you do. Naruto…"

The pressure on his shoulders was becoming unbearable, but Naruto bore the pain, knowing that Sarutobi was trying to restrain himself. It was not in Sarutobi's nature to strike someone, but even he had a patience barrier.

"I am very disappointed in you. I understand that you were stressed. I can appreciate that. But what you did could have endangered us all. I am not happy with you at all."

"But JiJi, I had no choice…"

"WE ALWAYS HAVE A CHOICE, NARUTO!"

The volume of his voice snapped everyone out of their stupors and they watched as a terrified Naruto cowered under the visage of 'The Professor'.

"I've made many mistakes in my time and I don't want you to repeat them. You can't let those who would do us harm charm you with sweet words! Look at Orochimaru! He's my greatest mistake. The Kyuubi could be yours if you let its honeyed words sway your decisions."

Naruto was at a loss for words and just stood helplessly as Sarutobi's fingernails began to dig into his shoulder.

"But JiJi…it may have been a gamble, but it proved to be the right one. And I have an advisor in him!"

"You have nothing, Naruto! You can't trust that thing!"

Sarutobi felt hands on his shoulder and turned his head to find Asuma and Yahiko, each with a hand touching him.

"Father, release him."

"You're hurting him, dad."

Sarutobi looked down at Naruto's shoulders and cringed when he saw the blood seeping through the fabric of his shirt. He released Naruto's shoulders and hung his head.

"I'm…sorry, Naruto. But what you did was very foolish. You have to be stronger in mind, so as not to fall to the baiting of the beast again. The rest of you can speak with him if you wish. I'm going for a walk. I'll see you all at home tonight."

Naruto watched as Sarutobi walked out the door and he felt the stings at the corners of his eyes as he hung his head. He knew he had made his grandfather unhappy before with his actions, but he had never seen the man so disappointed in him. It…hurt. He felt arms encircle him and his mother stroked his hair.

"Shhh…it'll be ok, Naruto. Just let your grandfather calm down. He's just worried about you, that's all."

He nodded his head, but held back the tears. He wouldn't cry if he could help it. This was just another obstacle in his life that he would have to overcome. Asuma clapped a hand on his shoulder and said he would see him later that evening, as he had to get back to his team. Kakashi nodded to him and went off to do his own thing, swearing to himself that he would start training his team with more fervor.

Kurenai stayed behind with Anko. The two had more questions for the boy and Kurenai coughed slightly into her hand to get the Sarutobis attention.

"I hate to interrupt, but Naruto has been missing from our team for a while now and we are quite behind. I'll need to take him now."

Eri nodded her head and Yahiko helped her back to her feet. She gave Naruto a stern look.

"We'll talk to your grandfather, but don't think you're off the hook, young man. There is still a lot we have to talk about, not to mention explain to Konohamaru."

Naruto nodded his head and the two left out the door. He watched them go and turned back to his two senseis with a sigh. Kurenai gave him a small smile and ushered to the door with her hand.

"Shall we?"

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Naruto looked from side to side as they wandered through the streets to the training ground. He was apprehensive about being seen in public already and he hadn't gotten a proper mask yet. He rectified that soon enough by purchasing one at a store and excusing himself to a corner of the store to put it on. His glasses remained on his face.

Kurenai was still unsure how to go about this new development. She knew that having him on her team would be a challenge, but this much? She was unsure how to deal with Kiba and Ino as well. How would they take Naruto's new look? Kiba would undoubtedly call Naruto a copycat of his looks when he and Akamaru went into beast mode. Ino would be the harder one to place. Would she welcome the changes or be repulsed by Naruto's new look. He did look much wilder and more feral, more scary. Thre was no telling how the blonde girl would react. But the fact was that Naruto couldn't hide from his teammates.

Anko seemed the least phased by it, but then, she was always a strange one. Having Orochimaru for a sensei had probably broken her of any inhibitions to weird things. Moreso, the more she hung around the younger blonde, the more content she seemed to be. But then, it was apparent that Anko enjoyed teaching Naruto her trade and he was a good student, soaking in everything like a sponge.

Kiba and Ino were waiting for them in the training field, their session with Kurenai having been cut short by the ANBUs arrival and Kurenai hastily making an exit. They cringed at the sight of Anko, but perked up when they recognized the head of blonde hair beside her.

"Naruto! Long time no see, man!"

"Hey, Naruto! Where've you been?"

Akamaru barked and wagged his tail happily. Naruto smiled behind his mask and Kurenai stepped in front of him, her hands on her hips, and addressed the other two, who had become quiet upon seeing her stern gaze.

"Now, the two of you know that Naruto is a bit…different, correct?"

The two genin nodded. Kurenai's lips turned up a little bit.

"Ok. Good. Now, I want you to be nice. Naruto had a bit of an…episode…on his trip with Anko and he came back looking a bit…different. So, don't freak out, ok? Naruto?"

The blonde took a deep breath and pulled the mask down while removing his sunglasses. Kiba blinked, blinked again, and then leaned forward with a grin.

"Dude, are you sure you're not related to me? You get more feral every freaking day. Mom'll be surprised when she sees you. You could be one of her long lost children."

Naruto let out a sigh of relief and turned to look at Ino, but was surprised when a hand rubbed his face.

"Your marks are darker, your nails are longer, and you look like you could puncture a juice can with those teeth. What happened?"

Naruto shrugged, used to making up lies by now. He hated to do it, but his team wasn't ready to know the truth just yet.

"I dunno. I'm adopted remember? I think it's a family thing, but I'm not sure. I hope I'm not related to Kiba."

"Hey! There's nothing wrong with me."

Kurenai let out a sigh of relief at the three interacting like normal and turned to Anko.

"I guess everything is going to be ok here. What are you going to do now?"

Anko yawned and stretched like a cat.

"Go home and get some sleep. Being with Naru-chan is so exhausting. It's like riding a freaking rollercoaster that never stops."

Kurenai huffed and crossed her arms.

"I hope you're talking about the mission and not something else."

Anko grinned and winked suggestively as she made the seal for shunshin.

"Well, you'll just have to wonder about that, won't you?"

Kurenai sighed and turned around to face her team. Ino was now examining Naruto's nails up close and Kiba was pulling Akamaru back from sniffing Naruto all over. Naruto just had a blissful expression on his face, happy that his team asked no questions and just accepted him as he was. They all turned when Kurenai clapped her hands together.

"Alright, time for some team training since_ someone_ saw fit to take off with his other sensei."

Naruto grinned sheepishly and stood up, dragging Ino up with him. Kiba took his spot beside Naruto and Kurenai smiled at all of them.

"Kiba, Naruto, you two spar. Naruto, no knife. Kiba, no Akamaru."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was early evening when Naruto walked in the door to his house and was immediately tackled by Konohamaru, who began to touch his brother all over his face, poking his whiskers, accidentally cutting his finger on the fangs, and looking with wide eyes at the sharp nails. Naruto let his little brother feed his curiousity until he couldn't take it anymore.

He grabbed the brown-haired boy's hands and took them off his face.

"Ko, I'm happy to see you, but you need to get off me. I'm tired and I want to take a shower and go to sleep."

Konohamaru crawled off his older brother and looked up at him.

"How did you get your teeth to do that? That is so cool!"

"I don't know. It just happened. I'll talk to you later, Ko. I'm going to bed, ok?"

The small boy huffed in annoyance and crossed his arms.

"You never want to do anything. You're always tired or too busy."

Naruto smiled and ruffled Konohamaru's hair.

"When you become a ninja in a few years, you'll understand. It's not what I thought it would be either."

Naruto waved to his little brother and walked up the stairs slowly. He hadn't realized how drained he had been until he got home. Getting to the shower looked to be a chore but he knew he needed one.

The water had felt lovely on his sore body and Naruto crashed into the bed. Normally, he would primp a little bit in front of the mirror, but he was too tired that night. He could hear the Kyuubi mumbling in the back of his mind about the softness of his bed and sighed blissfully. It felt good to be home. He was just starting to doze off and rolled onto his back, when his door crashed open and a weight landed on his stomach. Hands held his cheeks as someone spoke.

"Naruto-kun, what happened to you?"

Naruto sighed and slowly opened his eyes to meet the lavender ones of Hinata, the worry evident in hers making him feel…nice.

"I had an…episode…on my trip with Anko-sensei. It's nothing to worry about."

Hinata was not convinced.

"But I…I heard from your mother that you had…changed."

"Just my teeth and fingernails. Nothing drastic."

"But your eyes…"

Naruto sighed and sat up, coming face to face with his worried friend.

"It doesn't do anything but make me look different, Hinata-chan. It's probably something to do with my birth family, that's all."

She nodded her head, but was still unsure of his answer. He was hiding something, she was sure of that. Suddenly, she became aware of her position and the closeness of their faces and turned red. Naruto was about to ask what was wrong when a bright flash came from the side and he turned to find his mother with a camera.

"Heh, that is so precious. You two will make a cute couple in the future."

Hinata merely blushed more and buried her face in Naruto's shoulder, not doing their position any justice. Naruto scowled at his mother.

"Mom, you're embarrassing Hinata-chan. Stop it."

"Oh, I am not. Am I Hinata-chan?"

The girl shook her head from side to side and Eri grinned.

"See?"

"She's only saying no so you'll leave her alone."

Hinata only shrank further into Naruto's shoulder, making Eri giggle. Naruto growled and threw his pillow at her.

"Mom, leave!"

Eri cackled to herself and left the room, closing the door behind her. Naruto sighed and rubbed Hinata's back.

"It's ok, Hinata-chan. She won't tell anyone…you might want to get off me though."

The girl squeeked and rolled off him, sitting up on her knees to his right on his huge bed. She had only meant to stop by and say hello on her way back from practice after hearing from Kiba that he was back in town. Now, here she was in his bed…and he didn't have on anything but pajamas. Her face flushed again and she looked down at the sheets, her hands fisting her jacket.

Naruto sat up against the headboard and looked at Hinata. He could tell what she was thinking just by looking at her and grinned goofily.

"Hinata-chan, are you thinking dirty thoughts? What would your father think?"

Hinata gasped and her hand flew to her mouth.

"Naruto-kun, you wouldn't!"

He laughed and shook his head.

"No way. I'd like to still be able to maybe date in the future. Your dad would keep you locked away like a damn nun. Can't have that. Now, why did you come by to visit?"

Hinata, feeling much better now that she knew he was teasing and Eri was out of the room, gave him a small smile.

"I just wanted to say hello when I heard you were back. Your mother said that while on your trip you had changed and I checked with my Byakugan. It…surprised me when I saw that you had changed, even a little bit. What happened?"

"I dunno. I'm an orphan that was adopted, remember? I don't know anything about my birth family's background."

"Oh. Right."

Naruto sighed as Hinata looked back at the sheets. He'd have to tell her soon about his burden. He couldn't hide it forever, especially from her.

"Hinata, I hate to do this, but I'm really sleepy. Can I talk to you tomorrow? I'll treat you to lunch."

She gave him a small smile and nodded her head. Naruto crawled off his bed and escorted her to his door. He yawned and covered his mouth while smacking his lips, making Hinata giggle. Giving her a tired smile, he pulled her in for a hug.

"Thanks for worrying, but you should get home. I'm sure your dad is worried."

Hinata nodded her head again and was about to let go when a flash went off again. Both teens froze and turned to face Yahiko this time. Yahiko grinned and waved from behind the camera.

"Your mother was right. You two _do_ make a cute couple."

Hinata blushed bright red again and forgot to let go of Naruto, pulling him closer as she buried her face in his neck again. Naruto growled at his father.

"DAD!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A few more months passed as usual. Team Eight did their D-ranks with minimal grumbling and completed their C-ranks with smiles. C-ranks for the genin were becoming few and far between though. Naruto had forsaken his mask after a month, saying he just didn't care what public opinion was. Not to mention that Team Eight could feel tension between Naruto and Sarutobi whenever they received a mission.

Sarutobi had never apologized for what he said in the office that day, and indeed, he stood by what he said. Naruto had endangered a lot of people with his rashness, nevermind the fact that everything had turned out ok. He simply couldn't make decisions like that without contemplating them if he was going to be Hokage one day.

Naruto refused to speak to his grandfather unless it was business and it was driving a rift between them. The two had been so close once upon a time and it hurt everyone to see them snubbing each other. Both were too stubborn to admit that they had both been wrong though.

Kurenai kept the peace as much as possible and besides Naruto and Sarutobi's little staredowns making the rest of Team Eight uncomfortable, her team was as ready as it would ever be for higher missions. She was proud of them and rightfully so. That's why she stood tall, her chin upraised, as all the jounin stood before the Hokage while he told them about the Chuunin Exams.

Sarutobi took his pipe out of his mouth and looked around the room. He'd explained all he could about the tests and was glad that there were no questions. He came to the final piece of business; the nomination of teams to enter. He called forward the three rookie senseis and addressed them.

"You three have the three rookie teams. Do you feel that they are ready to enter the exams? Or should they wait for another one?"

Kakashi, being the one furthest to the left, put his hand up in a pledge.

"I, Hatake Kakashi, swear upon my clan name that my team, Team Seven, is ready for the exams."

Kurenai's eyes flew open and she glared at the Copy Nin. She had been hoping for another year before their bet could take place so that she could prepare her entire team. She knew Naruto was ready, but Kiba and Ino needed a little more seasoning. She pinched Kakashi's side and whispered to him heatedly.

"What the hell are you thinking? We agreed to let them fight at the Chuunin Exams but isn't this a little soon?"

Kakashi gave her a smile that turned her stomach.

"Of course not. Sasuke and the others are ready to enter. I assumed that your team was ready as well. Although, if you don't think they are and Sasuke passes, then you forfeit the bet."

Kurenai grit her teeth and scowled at the man. He had her backed into a corner. Kurenai was a new jounin, but she could see a trap a mile away. Kakashi wanted her to back down. Her common sense told her to just bite the bullet, but her pride wouldn't let her. Asuma's eyes widened when she raised her hand to issue the pledge.

"I, Yuuhi Kurenai, sensei of Team Eight, swear upon my family name that my team is ready for the duties of a Chuunin."

Asuman sighed and rolled his eyes. He wasn't going to be left out.

"I, Sarutobi Asuma, swear on my family name that my team is ready for the duties of a Chuunin."

Sarutobi scowled at his son's casual pledge and 'hmm'ed to himself.

"Do you three really think that this is wise? They are rookies after all, barely out of the academy. Even Gai held his team back a year."

Gai nodded, glaring at Kakashi and Kurenai. He didn't like the fact that the two were putting their bet before their students.

"That's right. The exams are dangerous for first-timers. I held my team back so that they would be better prepared for them."

Kakashi narrowed his eye and glared back at Gai.

"My team is ready Gai. In fact, they're more than ready. They'll win the whole thing. End of discussion."

Kurenai growled and nodded her head. She would have to let her team know. Sarutobi called the meeting to a close and passed the senseis entering a team the necessary forms. Asuma and Kurenai shunshined away quickly to let their teams know while Kakashi strolled out casually, reading his book. Sarutobi sighed. He probably wouldn't tell his team until the day before the exams…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Team Eight had been pulling double time to train for the exams. Kurenai pulled them off of D-rank duty and spent the next two weeks totally focused on teamwork and increasing their stamina. They'd need it for the second part.

It was the day before the exams and Team Eight were on their way to eat to celebrate. Ino was even having a good time, despite the fact she was eating with two guys who weren't Sasuke. She had gotten better in her Sasuke addiction, but was by no means going cold turkey yet.

They rounded the corner of the street and Naruto bumped into someone. He caught himself before he fell and straightened up again.

"I'm sorry. For…"

He was answered by a punch to the jaw and stumbled back. He hadn't been prepared for that. He cursed himself for a fool and righted himself, staring into the eyes of a make-up wearing Suna nin with a large bundle on his back. He blinked and looked the boy up and down before starting to snicker.

"Are you lost? The Kabuki Theater is that way."

The ninja growled and readied himself again.

"You bumped into me, you idiot, and then you insult me?"

Ino frowned and put her hands on her hips.

"He was going to apologize, you thickheaded imbecile."

Akamaru growled at the boy from Kiba's head and Kankurou smirked at the puppy.

"Geez, you're just little kids, almost _his_ age probably. Not worth my time."

The blonde girl who was with him, with the enormous fan on her back, called out.

"Kankurou, let's go. We don't want to keep _him_ waiting."

Kankurou, as he was so called, nodded and turned, but was stopped by Naruto putting his hand on his shoulder.

"You're Suna ninja, right? Are you here for the exams?"

Kankurou looked at the hand and then at the blonde boy.

"Your hand. Remove it, or I will."

"Answer my question."

"Kankurou, just tell him."

"Shut up, Temari. Stay out of this. I hate rude little assholes like this. He reminds me of _him_."

Temari threw her hands up into the air.

"Fine. But you're taking the heat for this."

Kankurou sneered and pulled his bundle from his back, letting it hit the ground with a thump. Naruto readied himself to leap and unsheathed his knife in a heartbeat, deflecting the two senbon that shot from Kankurou's sleeve. He rushed forward and went for a punch, Kankurou reciprocating, but both were stopped when sand erupted between the two and a cold voice floated down.

"Kankurou, stop it."

Kankurou looked up fearfully at the newly arrived boy and shivered.

"But Gaara…"

"Quiet or I'll kill you."

Gaara let the sand wall fall and walked up to Naruto, his eyes showing disinterest. The closer he got, the more maniacal the grin on his face became.

"You seem to be strong. I apologize for my teammate's rudeness. My name is Gaara. What is yours?"

"Uzumaki Naruto."

The sand around them whipped up suddenly and lashed out at Naruto's cheek, leaving a shallow cut. Gaara watched the blood trickle down Naruto's face and licked his lips before looking back at the blonde.

"You did not flinch. You must know pain."

Naruto shrugged, not wanting to give away any more information than was necessary.

"I'm a ninja. We know pain."

He wiped the blood away from his cheek and Gaara's eyes widened when he saw the skin was unmarred. He leaned forward slightly, taking in Naruto's elongated fangs and dark skin marks.

"You…are different, Uzumaki. I shall see you in the exams, yes?"

**He's dangerous. Best to leave quietly.**

"Yes, you will."

"Good. Temari, Kankurou, let's go."

The three walked off in the direction of their hotel and Naruto turned to face his team. Ino screamed and he whipped his head around to find a wave of sand coming for him, with Gaara holding his hand out, his mouth set in a grin. The red head watched as the sand engulfed the blonde and then…

Then came the most bone-chilling growl he had ever heard, more chilling than even Shukaku's screams. His eyes widened as the sand exploded and Naruto stood bent low, his claws ready and his eyes gleaming, his teeth bared and on full display. Gaara's smile became less maniacal and more self-satisfied as he called the sand back like nothing had happened.

"Interesting. I look forward to seeing you again, Uzumaki Naruto. Your blood will taste sweet, I'm sure."

The three left with no further aplomb and Naruto let himself relax before turning back to a shaking Ino and a frazzled Kiba and Akamaru.

"Dude, I wish you wouldn't growl like that. It's seriously fucking creepy."

"That's why I do it. It's intimidating. Now let's get lunch. I'm starving."

The two boys walked away and noticed that Ino wasn't following them.

"Hey, Ino, hurry up. I'm starving here!"

Akamaru barked in agreement with Kiba and Ino looked at Naruto.

"I don't know if I can do this test yet, Naruto. That guy was seriously messed up."

Naruto sighed and put his hand on Ino's shoulder.

"Of course you can, Ino. You're more than ready. Kurenai-sensei said that Sakura was going to be in it. Can't let her beat you, can you?"

Her scared disposition melted away at the mention of her rival and she shook her head vigourously.

"Hell no! Now let's eat! Gotta be prepared for tomorrow!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto sighed as he walked through the halls with Kiba and Ino. They had their passes ready and none had hardly slept the night before. Nervousness was such a bitch.

They rounded the corner of the second floor and frowned when they saw the crowd of people being held up by two genin. Naruto's jaw dropped when he saw a green clad figure fall to the ground after being punched and his eyes widened.

"Holy shit! Someone shrunk Gai-sensei in the wash!"

The boy, upon hearing the name 'Gai' was by Naruto's side immediately with a huge grin, his injuries forgotten.

"YOSH! YOU KNOW OF THE TEACHINGS OF GAI-SENSEI? IF SO, THEN I MUST INTRODUCE MYSELF! I AM THE BEAUTIFUL GREEN BEAST, ROCK LEE!"

Naruto groaned as the boy's teammates walked up behind him and Naruto's eyes narrowed in annoyance. Lee noticed the cold stare and turned to find his teammate giving Naruto his own glare.

"Hyuuga."

"Uzumaki."

The other genin whipped their heads back and forth trying to figure out how the two knew each other, when a voice rang out.

"Drop the genjutsu. Everyone knows this is the second floor."

Naruto sighed as Ino and Sakura squealed and watched as Sasuke was attacked by one of the genin guarding the door. Rock Lee moved between them and caught the blows, surprising everyone. The two genin guards disappeared and the genjutsu dropped and people began filing up the stairs once more. Team Seven disappeared with Rock Lee in pursuit and Neji and the girl stared at Team Eight once more.

"I shall see you in the finals, Uzumaki. Don't disappoint me."

"Don't disappoint me. I'm sure your 'flames of youth' have diminished in recent years, Neji."

The Hyuuga boy glared at Naruto and pushed his way past. The girl bowed and gave Team Eight a shaky smile.

"I apologize for both of them. My name is TenTen. It was nice to meet you, even if it was under abnormal circumstances."

She rushed past to catch up to Neji, leaving Team Eight baffled. Kiba elbowed Naruto.

"This test is gonna be weird isn't it?"

"I'd say. Let's get checked in."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kurenai smiled as her team walked up to the door and she nodded to them all.

"Good to see you all made it. I hope there was no trouble?"

Naruto shrugged.

"No more than usually finds us, sensei."

"Good. I want you three to know that I'm proud of you. Just do your best and we'll have no regrets. Now, go knock 'em dead."

"YOSH! NARUTO-KUN! MY LEE TELLS ME THAT HE HAS MET YOU ALREADY AND THAT YOU AND NEJI HAD A CLASH OF THE FLAMES OF YOUTH!"

Naruto sighed and grinned at his old sensei.

"Hello, Gai-sensei. Yeah, Neji and I butted heads again. But I didn't let it bother me."

Gai nodded sagely and kept his voice low.

"I'm glad for that. I must warn you Naruto-kun, that Lee is a master of the Goken style that you couldn't master. It will be interesting to see if your Kalaripayit will measure up to him."

Naruto put his hand over his heart and feigned hurt.

"Gai-sensei, I'm shocked. And here I thought I was always your favorite student. Now, I find out that I've been replaced."

Gai's eyes widened in horror, but before he could launch into a diatribe, Kurenai grabbed his ear and dragged him out.

"Good luck, kids. You'll need it."

Team Eight watched them go and turned back to the door. Naruto nodded to Ino and Kiba.

"Well, shall we?"

Kiba grabbed the door and slid it open, the light blinding them for a moment before their eyes adjusted. Ino whistled low and muttered to herself.

"That's a lot of genin."

Most of the ninja in the room were talking amongst themselves. The teams that Naruto was interested in were scattered throughout the room. He saw Team Seven talking to an older genin with white hair, Team Ten sitting in the middle, Team Gai in the corner, and front and center was the Suna Team, with Gaara glaring a hole in Naruto's forehead.

Team Eight didn't have time to do anything, however, when a voice boomed out and Chuunin began to file in.

"Sit down and shut the hell up! The first test will commence now! Uzumaki! You and your team take a seat now! I expect you to be an example to the others!"

Naruto swore as he and the others found chairs quickly. Kiba and Ino leaned over and each whispered to ask him who that was. Naruto sighed and whispered back.

"He's Morino Ibiki, the head of Interrogation and Torture. He's the guy who taught me about psychology."

"Uzumaki! Something you'd care to share with the rest of us?"

"No, sir!"

"Then shut the hell up while I explain the rules!"

Naruto grumbled to himself.

"Sadist bastard."

"I heard that, you blonde idiot! Pay attention!"

**I'd suggest you shut up before you get yourself disqualified.**

'_Thanks for the wonderful advice.'_

**That's free. Sarcasm is extra…idiot.**

**And so the story begins to steamroll along. Let me know what you think. And if you haven't checked out my c2, drop by. If you like it, please subscribe. I'm always trying to find good new stories to put in there.**


	23. That Tiny Big Secret

And here's Chapter 23. A long, long chapter, but I had to get several things out of the way. Will you get all the answers to every question in thsi chapter? No. But you might get a few...plus a few laughs. Enjoy. Readers, Reviewers, Thank you...**High Speed**_ by Coldplay._

**_Be sure to check out the poll on my bio page about the next story idea. The poll will only influence my decision. It will not do anything but guide me. Vote for what you'd feel best about reading. Thank in advance._**

**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE**

After Ibiki and his goons came in, numbers were issued to the genin and they were made to take their seats. Naruto was seated up front, beside ninja from two different villages. Ino was a couple rows behind him and Kiba behind her. The rest of his friends he couldn't see, as turning around was not an option unless you wanted to fail.

Naruto sighed as Ibiki explained the rules. It was typical of the sadist to try to break the fragile minds of the genin through his psychological warfare. Ibiki was feared throughout the ninja world, not for selflessness or jutsus, but for loyalty to his country to an almost fanatical degree and his willingness to do anything to give Konoha that slight edge. If that meant shattering the mind of an enemy, then so be it.

A kunai landed in front of Naruto, shaking him from his daydreaming. He'd been dealing with Ibiki so long that it was easy to dismiss the man…until he decided that someone had to be an example.

"Pay attention, Uzumaki, or I'll fail your ass right here. That goes for any of you little shits who think I'm playing around."

Naruto nodded his consent. Ibiki glared at him, his lips curling up into a sneer.

"I'm your superior, soldier. You address me with respect because you know what'll happen if you don't."

Naruto shuddered and stood up, saluting as he did so.

"Yes, sir! My apologies, sir!"

"Sit down, jackass. I'll call on you when you're needed."

Naruto sat down and looked straight ahead but he could feel the eyes of the genin around him. Most were wondering about their futures already in this exam if the paper test was going to be this extreme. Others were wondering how in the hell the two knew each other. Ibiki was dying laughing on the inside. He had the little bastards right where he wanted them…and his young protégé was helping him to do it unwittingly.

The genin present were getting a taste of just how infamous Ibiki was at that very moment. His gaze was like steel slicing through them and his voice was like thunder. His eyes would sweep the room, latching onto an individual, holding that gaze for a couple seconds, and then he would move on. He glared at Naruto when he came to him and Naruto glared back, not backing down an inch. Ibiki smirked and moved onto the genin beside the blonde. The underlying message to that glare was obvious.

_Don't embarrass me._

After all, Ibiki had put considerable time into molding Naruto's mind to be able to do what he did with little ill effects to himself. It took a special kind of person to break someone else and remain sane while you did it. Anko and Ibiki were just those types of people, and they had begun to mold Naruto into that as well. A Hokage who couldn't stomach hurting others wasn't much of a Hokage after all.

Naruto couldn't afford to embarrass Ibiki anymore than he could afford to embarrass himself. Being the Hokage's grandson, and a jinchuuriki on top of that, Naruto had a lot of people who had expectations riding on him. Besides that, he had high expectations for himself.

Ibiki rattled on about the rules, no cheating, two points off if you got caught, three strikes you're out, one hour to finish, tenth question explained in the last fifteen minutes, blah blah blah…

"Begin!"

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In the jounin lounge, Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai, and Gai lazed about, wondering how the kids were doing. Kakashi flipped a page in his book and let out a satisfied sigh.

"I thought I'd never get rid of those brats. At least until this test is over, I won't have to deal with them. Gives me more time to read."

Kurenai glared at the cycloptic jounin, silently fuming that he paid her no heed, and then turned to Asuma and Gai.

"So, who's proctoring the test this year?"

Gai gave her a solemn look and raised one finger.

"Morino Ibiki is the proctor of the first exam this year. He's quite well known for breaking the minds of those he tortures. He _is_ the Head of Torture and Interrogation after all."

Asuma nodded and crushed his cigarette in a glass tray on the table before him.

"Yeah, he's a real piece of work. I don't know if our genin will make it out or not."

Kakashi looked up from his book and shrugged.

"My team should be able to handle it. Sasuke and Shino won't give in, but Sakura is a wild card there. How about you, Asuma?"

"Well, Shikamaru is smart enough to get through this. He's too intelligent to give in to mind games. And he'll help Chouji and Hinata get through it as well. How about you, Gai?"

"Yosh! My team…"

Kurenai covered her ears and glared at the spandex wearing jounin.

"Gai, use your inside voice, please."

Gai gave her a sheepish grin and sat down on the couch beside Asuma.

"My team is more than ready. With all the training I put them through, they should be ready for anything. Neji and TenTen are intelligent enough to get through it while Lee will refuse to give up no matter what."

Kurenai sat silent, listening to them with a smug look on her face. The three men looked at her with quirked eyebrows until she blinked.

"What?"

Asuma sighed and lit another cigarrete before crossing one leg over the other.

"Your team?"

She smiled and looked at Kakashi.

"Morino Ibiki, huh?"

He nodded and flipped a page in his book again.

"You might not have heard of him, being a relatively new jounin, but he's quite the infamous character in certain circles."

Asuma snorted, letting Kurenai have her fun.

"Oh, I know all about him, Kakashi. I have to. He's mentoring one of my students, after all."

Kakashi's book lowered minutely as he gave Kurenai a lazy stare.

"Who, pray tell?"

"My team captain, Uzumaki Naruto. My team won't quit if Naruto won't. Kiba because of pride, Ino because she'll follow Naruto's lead. My team is guaranteed to pass the first part. Now, what was that about Sakura?

Gai watched with amusement as Kakashi's eye showed the slightest bit of worry before settling back into indifference as he shrugged and went back to reading his book.

'_You'll regret making that bet, my eternal rival. My former pupil is too formidable. I would hazard a guess that the only one who could match him in the flames of youth is my Lee. But, we'll have to see won't we?'_

It unnerved the gathered jounin to see Gai in quiet thought, but they chalked it up to one of his quirks…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto sat upright, pulled the kunai out of his paper, and flipped his test over. His education was very thorough, his father allowing little to get past him. Having been homeschooled by a scholar for most of his life, most of the questions were easy to answer. He only had to worry about his teammates answering theirs. None of his jutsus would help him here and his kekkei genkai was entirely too noticeable. If only he could create a Kage Bunshin without the smoke…but he couldn't.

Fifteen minutes in, Naruto began to notice it was getting warmer and looked to the door. Sure enough, the chuunin by the door was cranking up the thermostat every five minutes, raising the temperature of the room with a smirk on his face. The poor genin, especially those dressed in warmer clothing, were beginning to sweat profusely. Naruto, pulled his finger around his collar, loosening it slightly, and continued to write.

Every few minutes Ibiki would call out a number or a chuunin would be seen scratching away at his clipboard. A team would be eliminated and dragged out kicking and screaming or, in one instance, with tears streaming down their face. Oh well, there was always next year…

Thirty minutes in Ibiki nodded his head again and the thermostat was raised another ten degrees. Now, crunch time would settle in. With only fifteen minutes left until the final question, the genin would begin their do-or-die last rush. Naruto heard Akamaru yipping behind him and knew that Kiba was getting his answers. He only wished he could help his team somehow…

A cold chill crept up his spine and into his mind and his eyes widened when he realized what was happening. Ino was trying to crawl into his mind so that she could get his answers. He began to twitch horribly, worried with what this could mean.

'_Kyuubi!'_

**Don't worry, boy. She won't know I'm here. She couldn't get past the seal if she tried.**

Naruto gave a mental sigh and let Ino in without a fight. His body stiffened for a moment and Ino's slumped forward onto her desk. He felt her touch down into his mind and calmed himself. Ino straightened up his body and looked down at the paper.

'_Ino.'_

Naruto's body jumped and Ibiki glared, noticing the sudden movement. Ino tried to imitate Naruto's infamous grin and looked back down at the paper, the grin slipping away.

'_Naruto?'_

'_Who else? It's very rude to take over someone's body, you know. I thought we had this discussion.'_

'_Not like I had a choice! These questions are too hard! Forehead can probably answer them, but she's sitting on the other side of the room and I have to have direct line of sight. You were the only choice I had. And how in the hell are you talking to me?'_

'_I'm just that great. Hurry up and get your answers. The proctors are going to get antsy if you keep sleeping.'_

Ino quickly looked over all the answers and noted them mentally, making sure she had it all memorized. With a sigh, she leaned Naruto's head on his hands.

'_We're going to talk later on how you're speaking to me, you understand? I've never heard of anyone having the willpower to speak when the Shintenshin is done to them without fighting it.'_

'_Just get the hell out of my body, Ino. This is weird.'_

His body jolted slightly when she left and his eyes fluttered as his mind came back in control. Ino sat up and glared at his back before writing down her stolen answers as Naruto sighed and looked at the clock. Just five minutes.

'_That was close.'_

**You worry entirely too much, boy. I'm not stupid. If that girl had found out about the two of us, she would have screamed it to the Heavens. I'd rather not have you ostracized any more than you already are.**

'_You care. How…nice.'_

**It's for my benefit, boy. Not yours. Remember that.**

Naruto snorted and folded his arms over his chest, locking eyes with Ibiki once more. The Interrogation Specialist narrowed his eyes and quirked an eyebrow. Naruto knew that he and Ino had walked a thin line. Ibiki knew what they'd done, but it was within the parameters of the test. There was no physical proof they'd cheated, so it was a moot point.

"Alright! Pencils down!"

The sound of thin tubes of wood striking the tables rang out and Ibiki looked out over the small crowd again. There were still too many. It was time for drastic measures.

"Alright, you're all that's left. For the tenth question, you have a choice of taking it or not. If you decide to leave now, you may take the exam again next year. If you take it and get the question wrong, then you may never take this chuunin exam again. You'll be barred forever."

A few of the students started to protest and Ibiki ground his teeth, slamming his fist onto the table beside him.

"Shut up! In this room, my word is law! What I say goes! If I say you'll never take this test again, then you had better damn well believe it. If you're worried about your future, then, please, leave. Maybe you'll get lucky and I won't be the proctor next time it comes to Konoha."

The smirk on Ibiki's face widened as genin began to stand and file out. None were willing to take the risk of not becoming chuunin. His gaze settled on Naruto, who sat with his arms crossed. His smirk slipped slightly. The genin who knew the boy wouldn't quit if he was staying in. Naruto was entirely too much of a leader. A good quality for the future, quite an annoying one in his portion of the exam.

"Something you'd like to say, Uzumaki?"

The genin who remained seated all swung their heads to Naruto, who simply looked at Ibiki with a disinterested stare. He was putting up quite a front, considering how much Ibiki intimidated him.

"Come on, Uzumaki. You seem like you want to say something."

**Taunt him. **

'_What? No!'_

**Trust me. He's testing your mettle.**

'_I hate you.'_

**Duly noted.**

"I'm not going."

Ibiki quirked an eyebrow and the other genin perked up.

"I already know what my role in life will be. I know how these tests are run. Or did you forget that, Proctor-san? No…I think I'll stay."

Ibiki locked eyes with Naruto again while he watched all the remaining genin remain seated. His eyes narrowed for a moment before his smirk returned and he straightened up, calling out to a chuunin by the door.

'_Little brat'll be a hell of a leader one day.'_

"Close the door. Is there anyone else who'd like to quit?"

No one moved. Ibiki sighed and nodded his head to the chuunins, who all stood and smiled.

"Well, since none of you little bastards are leaving, there's only one thing left to do…"

The genin waited with bated breath for the tenth question as Ibiki took a deep breath.

"You all pass."

A collective 'Huh?' went up and it took all Ibiki had not to laugh.

"You all pass."

Sakura raised her hand, ever the studious one.

"What about the tenth question?"

"There is no tenth question. The entire test was to see whether or not you had the courage to face the unknown, with your future and the honor of your village on the line, and go forward. All of you here showed an aptitude the others didn't have."

He began to remove the bandana from his head slowly as he continued to speak.

"There will be times when you will have to make decisions like the one you've just made. Say you have to retrieve a scroll, but you don't know enough about the situation. There could be more enemy ninja than you expected, the scroll's location might have changed, or your informant might have been a double agent and you're headed into a trap. Do you go ahead with the mission or do you abort the mission?"

He ripped the rag from his head, letting all the genin take in the screwholes and scars on his head.

"You do NOT abort a mission. Though you may die, you will complete the mission with honor and dignity. If your Kage gives you an order, you cannot refuse it. If you do, that is tantamount to betrayal of your village. You see the mission through to the end, whether you complete it or fail. If you're captured, you do not give up anything. You die with honor."

He pointed to one of the screwholes on his head as he grimaced.

"This is the result of loyalty to one's village. These scars are reminders of battles fought and torture endured. But…they are also a badge of honor and a reminder of how much I love my village. One day, you'll have scars of your own that you can look at and be proud to have."

He retied his bandana and gave them all an appraising look.

"You've passed the first exam. You have the mental capacity to be chuunin, you have the drive. Now, it's time to see if you have the physical capacity for the job. Congratulations! I declare this part of the Chuunin Exams…"

Before he could finish, he saw a large ball headed toward the window and stepped back out of the way. The window shattered and a tapestry hung itself in front of the desk Ibiki had been standing by with four kunai. Ibiki sighed and palmed his face.

**The Forever Sexy and Tragically Single Proctor of the Second Exam: **

**Mitarashi Anko**

He stepped around her sign and snorted at what greeted him. The chuunin proctors were trying their best not to laugh as well.

Anko sat on Naruto's lap sideways, her legs crossed, as she threaded her fingers through his hair while she observed the genin who passed the test. Naruto was trying not to whimper, but his lip was quivering. Anko could sense that he liked it and kept up her ministrations.

"You're early, Anko…again."

Anko cut her eyes to Ibiki and smirked.

"Well, ain't that a damn shame. You can continue if you want. I'm perfectly comfortable where I am."

She looked around the room again, taking in the wide-eyed looks of all but two girls. One, a blonde, had a blank look on her face. She identified her as Yamanaka Ino, her favorite brat's teammate. The other was a Hyuuga and from the glare she was sending Anko's way, she had quite a thing for Naruto. Anko's smirk deepened. Oh, the fun she could have…too bad they were in the middle of an exam.

She'd file it away for later anyway.

"They're all yours, Anko. I was just congratulating them."

When she made no sign of moving, Ibiki sighed and put his hands on the desk, leaning over it.

"Anko, while I'm sure Naruto's lap is very comfortable, you have to proctor the second part of the exam."

Anko puffed her cheeks out in annoyance and slid off Naruto's lap, much to his relief. She continued to ignore the small amount of killing intent coming from Hinata and put her hands on her hips.

"Well, they don't look like much…and there's too many of them. Ibiki, did you even give them the damn test yet?"

Ibiki's eyebrow raised a notch.

"Yes, I gave them the test. Just take them off my hands."

Anko's smirk turned to an evil grin.

"Oh, don't worry. By the time I'm finished with them, only half will still be in the game. If that many…Alright, you little bastards! Follow me to your next exam! If you're five minutes late, you fail!"

She leapt onto the windowsill and turned to see none of them had moved. Well…she had a sneaking suspicion why Naruto didn't want to move and smiled mentally. She still had it…

"MOVE IT, YOU SORRY-ASS SHITSTAINS!"

The desks emptied immediately and Ibiki sighed to himself as he gathered up the papers. The chuunin proctors had left to see how Anko would handle the genin and he was glad to be alone. He picked up Naruto's paper and cocked his head when he saw a note at the bottom.

_Ibiki-sensei,_

_You suck._

_Naruto._

_P.S. The test was brilliant._

Ibiki chuckled when he read the note.

'_I trained the little bastard too well. He should have been shitting his pants.'_

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Anko sighed happily as she landed at the hut where the scrolls for the second exam would be administered. It absolutely made her day to cause other people to be miserable and with this year's crop she had all the victims she could ever want. The sound of the first arrivals behind her was like music to her ears. Finally, she could have her turn in the fun.

The chuunins sitting behind the desk in the hut nodded to her and Anko stretched, making sure that her coat opened just enough to almost show the goodies to the children. Through half-lidded eyes, she observed the reactions to those gathered and was pleased to see that most of the boys present were gaping and a few of the girls were either glaring or smacking said boys in the head.

A small amount of killing intent let her know that Hinata had arrived and she smirked as she let her arms fall to her side again. This girl was going to be so much fun to mess with…

She checked her watch and found that everyone had thirty seconds left to arrive. More thumps heralded their arrival and she glanced around to find that they had all made it. She puffed her cheeks in annoyance and put her hands on her hips as she looked out over them.

"Well, I was hoping that a few of you wouldn't make it. Since you've blown that plan out of the water, we'll just go forward with the regularly scheduled show. This…is the second part of the Chuunin Exam!"

She gestured to the giant forest behind her, fenced off with chain link that stood several stories high, with a flourish. All of the genin stared at it with trepidation…except one. Unwittingly, Naruto was about to help a second proctor intimidate his fellow genin. His disinterest in the Forest of Death, having been in it more than he ever wanted to, was apparent on his face.

Anko grinned evilly and slowly took a kunai out of a pocket of her coat while the genin mumbled to themselves about the size of the forest. Something in the forest screamed, causing all the genin to cringe and Naruto to sigh. The whistle of a kunai headed his way brought him to his senses and he unsheathed his knife, knocking the blade into the air where it twirled away. A familiar weight found its way to his back and he shivered as Anko slit his cheek with another kunai.

"You know, I heard that sigh. What's the matter? You don't think this forest is scary?"

Naruto kept his voice to a whisper, speaking out of the side of his mouth.

"Must you do this?"

Anko's grin only widened.

"Well, if the forest isn't scary enough for you, then maybe I need to remind you why you should fear at least _me_."

**I really like this woman.**

She licked the blood off his cheek as roughly as she could and shuddered with delight. She cracked one eye open and found all the other genin were petrified. She froze when she felt the slight rumble of Naruto growling lowly and felt a presence behind her. A longhaired Kusa ninja held the kunai that Naruto had knocked away with her tongue.

"It's not polite, or wise, to sneak up on people. They might get the wrong idea."

The Kusa genin gave her an oily grin as Anko took the kunai back.

"Forgive me, it's just that your kunai cut off some of my lovely hair…and the sight of blood does excite me so."

Anko cut her eyes to Naruto and then back to the Kusa genin.

"Oh? Would you care to sample a taste? His blood is most exquisite."

When the Kusa kunoichi made a step forward, Naruto's growl made everyone's blood freeze and the hair on the back of their necks stand up. The kunoichi halted in her steps as Naruto turned to her and pushed Anko aside.

"I don't like snakes. You reek of them. Stay back."

He could hear Kyuubi growling as well, setting his own tone, as the kunoichi backed up and put her hands up in a placating gesture, that greasy smile still in place.

"Take it easy. You don't like to be touched. Some boys don't."

Temari and Kankurou stepped back slightly when Gaara began to breathe quickly, as if excited by the prospect of seeing blood. In truth, the deranged boy was merely ecstatic at hearing that growl again. It made him feel…anxious. It made him feel…alive.

He loved to feel alive…

Anko looked from one to the other and snapped her fingers, gaining everyone's attention again.

"Alright, let's get this show on the road. I'll explain the rules."

She walked back over to her place in front of the hut and cast Naruto another look. It was odd for him to react so violently to anyone, especially someone he didn't know. And besides, he had never reacted like that to her or her summons. Perhaps he just didn't like the fact that she had offered him up? She'd have to remember to ask later.

"Listen up. The second portion will begin in a short while. This will be a field exercise to see how you handle unknown terrain, unknown enemies, and all-around survival skills while on a seek-and-capture mission. Your mission is to make it to a tower in the middle of this forest with two scrolls. Each team will be issued one scroll, either Heaven or Earth. You will not open these scrolls until you have reached the tower. Bad shit happens if you do."

"You will need to acquire the other scroll by any means necessary. Killing is perfectly alright in this portion of the test. You will have five days to reach the tower with your entire team intact. Whatever supplies you have on you are all that you can carry in. Don't worry about food; the forest is full of nature's bounty. Just be sure that you don't become nature's bounty to some of the forest's more…unsavory denizens."

"Before you can go, you'll need to sign a waiver absolving me of any responsibility if you're injured or die. I'm not your mommy and I don't truly care if any of you make it out alive. These helpful little chuunin will hand out the waivers. Once all three members have signed them, you may exchange your waivers for a scroll. No one will know what you have, so I would suggest you send the member you want to carry the scroll in to retrieve it."

She blew on her nails and rubbed them across her coat, staring at them with disinterest.

"Now be good little boys and girls and get signed up. I'm getting bored."

The chuunins dispensed the waivers and soon the only sound filling the immediate area was the sound of pencils scratching away at the papers. Anko eyed them all, especially Naruto and that Kusa kunoichi. Soon, the genin all began to file toward the hut to turn in their papers and the scrolls were dispensed. She waited until the last one was handed out before speaking again.

"Now that you've got your scroll, follow the nice little chuunin and they'll escort you to your starting gate. A last piece of advice: don't die! Have a nice stay! Remember to tip the staff!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ino and Kiba were dying to ask Naruto questions about his behavior but he was currently in mumbling to himself in a self-absorbed tirade.

"Damn Anko-sensei, putting us at Gate Thirteen. I know what she's trying to do. She's trying to fuck us over, make it harder for us. Well, she doesn't know who we are. We'll pull out of this…"

After several minutes of listening to him babble on about how he was going to get revenge on Anko for putting them at Gate Thirteen, Ino tugged on his shirtsleeve to get the other blonde's attention.

"Naruto, what's so special about Gate Thirteen?"

He whipped his head around to face them, his visage grim.

"Gate Thirteen is the worst possible place for us to start and I think she arranged it on purpose. Gate Thirteen is nothing but a wide open expanse, a field full of rocks, with a mile's width between us and the actual Forest."

Kiba blinked and shrugged.

"So? We can cover that easily."

"You didn't let me finish. That field is home to the tigers of the Forest, tigers the size of freaking elephants. They're easy enough to avoid if you're me, but you guys…"

Ino and Kiba were now very worried. If Naruto was this upset already…

"But this could be a blessing in disguise. We'll just need to establish a camp where the tigers can't get in. I'm sure there are some caves around here. We'll just have to look for them. Once we've done that, I can go scout and steal a scroll in the night."

Ino frowned and slapped him on his arm.

"It's supposed to be a team effort, Naruto. You can't leave us out of this."

He frowned at her.

"My skills are best suited for this. I can just skulk around until I find a team with the scroll we need and then we can make our way to the tower. We'll all be fresh since we won't have to fight and if we get it done the first day, then we'll have four days to rest."

Kiba didn't like the idea of not fighting to get the scroll, but agreed to the plan. Ino, however, had more questions.

"Why did you pull Team Ten, Shino, and Lee aside before they split us up?"

"I warned them about that Gaara kid…and that freaky kunoichi from Kusa as well. There's just something about those two that freaks me out. They're the most dangerous ones in this test."

Kiba puffed his chest out and thumped it.

"You mean besides Team Eight of course."

Naruto fixed the two of them with a stare that sent chills down their spines.

"No. They're the most dangerous. If we see them, we get away. I'm not sure if any of us can take them."

_**Bing-bong! Wake up, kiddies! The test will start at the sound of the buzzer. When your gate opens up, proceed forward to the tower. If all goes well, I'll see you there in five days! Don't die!**_

Team Eight readied themselves and when the buzzer started they took off like a shot into the Forest. Naruto glanced back as the gates slammed shut and grimaced.

'_Gods, I hope we're ready.'_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Anko-san! We have a problem!"

Anko growled around her red bean soup and chucked her dango skewer at the chuunin.

"What is it? I was just about to head to the tower."

"It's some of the genin, ma'am. They've been found murdered and their faces are missing."

"Missing?"

"Yes, ma'am. Like they were skinned."

"Where were they from?"

"Kusagakure, ma'am."

Anko's blood froze as she remembered Naruto's words. She whipped around and looked into the Forest.

"Tell the Hokage that we have a priority situation of the highest magnitude. _He's_ back."

"Who, ma'am?"

"Orochimaru. Tell Hokage-sama I've gone after him! Go!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Team Eight rushed for the highest rock in the field and lighted atop it. Naruto looked out over the field and then hunkered down beside his team.

"Alright, look. I want to get this done as quickly as possible. Secure this rock. We have a Heaven scroll, so I'm going to go procure an Earth scroll. When I return, we'll move out immediately for the tower. Unless there's an emergency along the way, we won't stop. Rest and eat something. I'll be back hopefully in a couple of hours."

Kiba grabbed Naruto's arm before he could melt into the stone.

"What about those tigers?"

"They're nocturnal. That's why we need to be gone before nightfall. We've only got a few hours until then, so I need to get going now. Any more questions? No? I'll be back soon."

He melted into the stone and left Kiba and Ino to themselves. Kiba absently stroked Akamaru's fur as the puppy lounged on the warm boulder. Ino pulled her knees up to her chin and looked out into the black expanse of the Forest of Death.

"Kiba?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever feel like we're kept out of the loop? That Naruto has more secrets than he can ever tell us? Or that he's afraid to tell us?"

"Yeah."

She shifted so she could look into his eyes.

"I think Naruto is hiding something from us, something he's ashamed of. He's hardly ever at team practices, that Anko woman is always pulling him away for some secret stuff…it's like we're just a footnote."

Akamaru whined and Kiba looked down at him.

"You think so too, boy? I guess you're right."

Ino pulled her equipment pouch around to her front and began to sort the various items in it.

"When we get to that tower, I say we make Naruto tell us. It can't be anything he can't tell us. We're his teammates. We can't always be left behind."

"But what if it's something he's not supposed to tell? He is the Hokage's grandson after all, adopted or not. Maybe he thinks we'll hate him for it. He's not the most well liked guy outside of our age group after all."

Ino gave Kiba a hard stare and closed her eyes.

"I don't hate him. I never have. I ignored him for a long time, but I'm his teammate now, damn it, and I want to know. We deserve to know. We _need_ to know."

Kiba nodded and began stroking Akamaru again. The puppy nudged him in the leg and padded over to Ino, trying to settle her down. Kiba smiled at his partner and sighed.

'_Damn it, Naruto. What are you up to?'_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto smirked as he moved through the ground. It had been two hours since he had left his teammates in the field and he had easily pilfered a few scrolls from unwary genin. One time a girl had seen him, or rather his hand, and she had screamed that a ghost had stolen their scroll. He snickered as he remembered her face. It had been priceless.

A figure on a tree limb caught his eye and he gasped when he realized who it was. He flew through the tree and onto the limb. He bit his lip and moved closer.

Anko lay unmoving on the branch, her hand clutching her neck. Naruto slowly moved to her and removed her hand, putting his hand to her neck, checking for a pulse. He sighed in relief when he felt one and suddenly found himself on the business end of a kunai. Anko huffed heavily, trying to catch her breath, until she realized who it was.

"Naru-chan? Oh thank Kami! Listen, you've got to get out of here. He may still be around."

Naruto shook his head at her frantic plea.

"Who, sensei?"

"Orochimaru. He's here, in the exam. He was the kunoichi that you growled at."

Naruto unconciously shivered. He had been so close to death and yet, the man had only been playing. He looked back at Anko and observed her condition. She was sweating profusely and appeared to have a high fever. He couldn't leave her here…

"Anko-sensei, I can't leave you here. I'm taking you back to where my team is."

"Damn it, kid, listen to me! You can't…"

He glared at her as he hefted her to his back.

"Shut up and conserve your strength. I'll take you back to that field you dumped me in and we'll get you help. You can tell me what happened when we get there."

Anko growled and slipped her arms around his neck.

"This is insubordination, you know. I could run you in for this."

"Then do it. I'm not leaving you behind."

She sighed and closed her eyes. Her eyelids felt so heavy.

"Stupid kid…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kiba and Ino readied themselves when they saw a figure come darting across the field at full speed. Their stance relaxed when they saw the familiar blonde hair and the tension rose when they saw what was behind him.

The tigers of the Forest. Kiba pulled a kunai from his pouch and readied himself again.

"I thought he said those things were nocturnal!"

"It doesn't matter! Just get ready to protect him and whoever is with him if those things can climb up here!"

Naruto ran right for their rock and then straight up it. The tigers couldn't climb such a slick surface and instead decided to play the waiting game. Naruto slid Anko from his back and sat down, panting hard, with his head between his knees.

"What the hell, Naruto? Did you kidnap the proctor?"

Naruto took a few more gulps of air and lay back on the stone.

"No, I found her knocked out on a branch. She was attacked by Orochimaru."

Ino's eyes bulged and she looked at the sleeping woman again.

"The Sannin? You brought a woman who was attacked by one of the freaking Sannin? Are you crazy? What if he comes after us?"

"He won't. He's not after any of you. He's already marked his quarry."

The three genin turned to Anko as she sat up and rubbed her neck again. She was still stiff from her bout with the curse seal. Naruto flopped down in front of her and helped her steady herself.

"Who did he mark, sensei?"

"Uchiha Sasuke."

Kiba blinked and leaned over.

"What do you mean 'mark'?"

"He's marked Sasuke as his. It's a seal that means he's taken interest in you. It gives you a measure of his power in exchange for obedience. But the survival rate is only ten percent."

Ino's eyes widened.

"Oh Kami. Sasuke."

Naruto grabbed Anko's shoulders.

"What about Team Seven? What happened to the other two?"

"I don't know."

Naruto wiped his hand down his face and left it over his mouth, clearly distraught. Shino was one of his good friends. He couldn't leave him out there. And while Sakura and Sasuke were jerks, they were still fellow ninja. Kiba voiced his thoughts.

"We gotta help them! I may not like Sasuke, but Shino's my friend!"

Ino nodded vigorously.

"Yeah! Sakura may be a bitch, but she can't stand up to Orochimaru. We need to make sure they're ok."

Naruto nodded and stood up, rummaging through his pack. He pulled a flare tube from it and pointed it into the air. The other three watched as he pulled a string attached to the tube and a ball of fire screamed into the air and exploded, leaving a trail of red smoke. Naruto then turned around and looked over the edge at the tigers.

"Damn overgrown furballs. I don't want to kill them, but…"

The air suddenly became saturated with killing intent and the tigers yowled in terror before fleeing into the forest. Two masked figures landed on either side of Anko and the aura dissipated.

"Hello, children. Thank you for taking care of Anko-san. We'll note this in our report."

The one in the falcon mask hefted Anko onto his back and she turned her head to look at the three.

"If you come across Orochimaru, you run, you hear me? Don't act like a hero, you run. It's likely you won't see him. He's already accomplished his goal, after all. Find Team Seven and make sure they're ok. If they're all fine, let them proceed as normal. This test is still on, you can't afford to stop now."

The ox masked ANBU nodded his head.

"We'll take Anko-san to the Hokage now. Don't tell anyone but your sensei about what you've seen here. Don't worry about anything. Everything will be alright."

The three older ninja disappeared into thin air and Naruto turned to the Forest.

"Come on, we've gotta get going."

Two hand stopped him and he looked over his shoulder to find Ino and Kiba staring at him hard. Ino tightened her grip.

"We want to know everything, Naruto. No more secrets."

He looked at Kiba and the boy nodded his head, Akamaru yipping his consent as well. Naruto sighed and nodded resolutely.

"Fine. When we get to the tower, I'll tell you everything. But now, we have to make sure our friends are ok."

The three leapt into the Forest. Kiba looked up at the sky. It was already getting dark.

'_Damn. It might be hours before we find them. We don't even know where to begin.'_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Shino was not having a good time. They had not been in the Forest an hour when they encountered their first enemy, a Rain nin, and had sent him packing with his tail between his legs. He didn't have a scroll, so that was a waste of time. Team Seven proceeded further into the depths of the Forest of Death.

Then came that incredible wind that had blown both he and Sakura back into the underbrush, leaving only Sasuke standing thanks to quick thinking and a little chakra to the foot. In hindsight, he should have let himself be blown away instead of attaching himself like a suction cup to a root. But it was too late for that.

Sakura had been fortunate to be caught in a tangle of vines and had made her way back quickly to find Sasuke embroiled in a fight with the Kusa kunoichi that had inspired that bone-shaking growl in Naruto. She didn't know what she could do to help Sasuke, so she stood back, waiting for an opening. When the two leapt back after a fierce exchange of blows, she launched two kunai at the kunoichi, who lazily caught them with her fingers and began to twirl them.

"Silly little girl, you shouldn't have interfered. I don't have any need for you, only Sasuke-kun."

A loud buzzing filled the area and the kunoichi had to jump aside to avoid the mass of kikaichu bugs that Shino directed at her. They hit the spot where she had been standing and bounced off the branch, making a splash effect like that of a stone being tossed in a river. Shino emerged from behind a trunk and took his place by Sakura, who was helping an unsteady Sasuke to his feet.

The Kusa kunoichi gave them an oily grin and flipped her long luxurious hair behind her shoulder.

"I was hoping that that Futon jutsu would take you two out of commission. I underestimated you. Allow me to rectify that mistake now."

The air around the three genin suddenly became much heavier and warped, as if the sun's heat waves had magnified times a thousand. Sakura fell to her knees and dry heaved, while Sasuke fell to his and lost his lunch. Shino fought it for a second before falling to his knees and pulling his collar back from his mouth, just in case he threw up as well. The kunoichi pulled another kunai from her pouch and fisted the three knives.

"I only wanted to play with Sasuke-kun, to measure his capacity. But if none of you can handle even a little killing intent, then you're not worth my time."

She launched the three kunai lazily and they sailed toward the three genin. Sasuke, however, had had a revelation of sorts upon hearing the words 'measure his capacity'.

His mind flew back to the night of the massacre, the slaughter of an entire people. His brother, standing with his sword at his side, the blade glistening in the moonlight with the blood of his kin. Any other night, in any other place, it would have been a poetic stance, but that night, it had only been…murder.

The more Sasuke thought about it as the kunai sailed toward him, the angrier he became. He had given up everything for vengeance. His life, his happiness, friends…He looked one last time at the glinting metal as it sailed through the air. Yeah, he had given up a lot just to kill Itachi, but if life could be snuffed out in an instant, then what was it worth doing all that for?

He pulled a kunai from his pouch and shakily brought it forward. Breathing heavily, his mind willed his body to stab himself in the leg. The blood flowed around the blade and Sasuke snapped back to reality, pushing Shino aside and off the branch, and after grabbing Sakura, diving after him. The kunai impacted with the branch and the kunoichi huffed.

"Oh poo. Well, he's cleverer than I thought. He might still be of use to me."

Sasuke sat huffing and puffing on another branch, nearly a half mile from where the kunoichi had been. Shino wiped the sweat from his brow and helped steady Sakura.

"Thank you, Sasuke-san. That was a most unpleasant situation."

Sasuke chuckled humorlessly and looked at Shino from the corner of his eyes.

"We're teammates right? That's what teammates do."

Shino quirked an eyebrow and pushed his glasses further up his nose. This was an interesting development.

"Indeed. Naruto warned me about that kunoichi, said she gave him a chill. We should continue to evade her and find another scroll as soon as possible. She's entirely too powerful to be a genin."

Sakura nodded her consent.

"Yeah, she's way too strong. Sasuke-kun, are you all right?"

Sasuke nodded his head and shakily stood to his feet, letting Sakura wrap his leg.

"We should go before…"

"…I find you?"

The genin looked up at the tree to find the kunoichi emerging from the tree trunk. She leapt away from the bark and landed further down the branch, giving them another oily smile.

"I was going to let you two go and just mark Sasuke-kun, but now I'm slightly put out. I'll have to teach you all a lesson."

What followed was perhaps the worst whipping any of them had ever gotten.

Sakura and Shino, realizing that Sasuke still needed a moment, rushed forward, trying to buy him a little time. The kunoichi didn't even budge and let the two strike her, Sakura with a kunai to the heart and Shino's bugs covered her as he caught her arms. They hadn't expected a mud clone though, and their hands became stuck. The kunoichi stepped from around the trunk and grinned.

"I'd like you to meet my pet. He hasn't been fed in weeks, so I'm sure you'll make a tasty snack, albeit a tiny one."

The two watched in fear as a shadow emerged from the ground getting closer and closer until a giant snakehead poked its way into the light. Sakura screamed and Shino's eyebrows shot way over the rim of his glasses as the snake gulped them down, taking a bit of the branch with it.

The kunoichi laughed as Sasuke stood dumbstruck. His team had just been eaten. He grit his teeth and launched himself at the still laughing kunoichi, his hands flashing through several handsigns until he finished and yelled.

"Goukakyu no Jutsu!"

The kunoichi barely had time to dodge the massive fireball as it crashed into the place she had been standing and carried on into the giant snake, burning its hide. Sasuke glared and looked around for her when he felt a presence behind him and turned to see half her face melted away.

"Very good, Sasuke-kun. That's what I expected of you. Now that you've seen my true face, we can get down to business."

"Who are you? What do you want?"

The pale man pulled the skin from his face and smiled.

"My name is Orochimaru and I want _you_, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke's eyes widened impossibly at the mention of who the man really was and he had but a moment to scream before Orochimaru began to beat him senseless.

Meanwhile, Shino had felt the intense heat of Sasuke's jutsu and, sensing that the snake might be weak there, directed his bugs to eat away at the flesh. Many were lost due to the corrosive stomach acid, but finally a small hole was chewed through and Shino stuck his arm through it before it could close. His bugs swarmed the snake inside and out and began to devour its flesh.

The snake hissed and thrashed in agony, until Shino finally had enough of a hole to get his head and shoulders out. He reached back in and pulled a kunai out of his pouch and stabbed it into the exposed skin of the reptile. Sakura frantically grabbed onto his leg as he began to slowly pull them out. With a final hard pull, Sakura popped out as well, just as the huge snake disappeared in a giant poof of smoke.

Shino pushed his glasses, that had miraculously survived the ordeal, back up on his nose and let out a breath he'd been holding.

_'A snake summon? Only one person I know of has such a contract. Then that would mean…'_

He whipped around to Sakura, worry evident on his hidden face.

"Sakura, we have to get Sasuke and get out of here. That ninja is beyond us!"

"What? What do you mean?"

"That was Orochimaru of the Sannin! We're all in grave danger!"

Sakura began to shiver, but nodded her head and followed along behind Shino as they went to retrieve Sasuke. Neither one was feeling very good after being swallowed and some patches of their skin was burned from the stomach acid. They were in pretty bad shape. The sound of a scream filled their ears and they rushed forward.

Orochimaru watched as Sasuke writhed in agony, the seal on his neck burning him fiercely. A snake-like grin found its way to his face and he stared at the newly arrived Shino and Sakura with satisfaction.

"Oh? You two survived? That is most fortunate. I have marked Sasuke-kun as my own. If he survives my test, then he will seek me for power, power that only I can give him. Keep him alive if you can. I expect big things from him."

Sakura looked up from where she was trying to hold a struggling Sasuke and screamed at the man.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

The pale man began to chuckle quietly, the chuckle soon turning to maniacal laughter.

"I am Orochimaru, of the Densetsu no Sannin. My desire is Sasuke-kun. You know, children, they say a beautiful pinwheel needs the wind to keep spinning or its beauty is lost to the world. I am Sasuke's wind. He will seek me when he needs my breeze to keep his pinwheel spinning."

They watched as he sank into the tree trunk, his maniacal laughter filling the area. Shino looked down at Sasuke and sighed.

"Let's find some shelter."

They hid in an old tree trunk, not far from where they'd all been attacked. Their scroll had been stolen by Orochimaru, most likely a further test for Sasuke if he survived. The two set up some rudimentary traps before hunkering down. Shino took the first watch, letting Sakura sleep. Both were exhausted and beaten down. Sleep tried to claim Shino, but he commanded his bugs to bite him when he began to falter and he never succumbed. He woke Sakura after five hours and she took over for him, a little bit better of after her brief nap.

The first rays of dawn began to poke through the treetops and Sakura sighed. Sasuke's breathing had stabilized in the night and he now appeared to be resting. His fever had only just broken and she was glad. A quick glance at Shino found him resting as well, though his sleep seemed to be fitful.

She squeeked when her traps suddenly began to trigger themselves and she watched as they basically made a domino effect before ending at the last one, a swinging log ram in front of their hideout. Shino groggily sat up and the two watched as three unknown genin wandered into the now-safe area. One, wrapped from head to toe in bandages, spoke out.

"Wake Sasuke-kun, so that we may fight him. We have no interest in you two."

Sakura gripped her kunai tighter and ground her teeth.

"He's sick. Come back later and he'll be happy to pummel you."

The second boy scoffed and looked at the other.

"Dosu, let's just kill them all. What do you say, Kin?'

"I agree. Orochimaru-sama never said there had to be other survivors."

Dosu nodded and looked forward again.

"Very well. Zaku, you take the boy, Kin, you take the girl. Kill them quickly."

Shino and Sakura readied themselves for what was to come when the girl launched two senbon at them. The two Konoha ninja were puzzled when the attacks struck the wood beside them and were about to run forward when the world began to spin.

"Like that? I don't think your inner ear is going to do too well. Your brain should be getting fuzzy right now."

Zaku laughed and raised his hands, letting the palms face forward.

"Zankuha!"

Shino and Sakura barely were able to get their arms up when wind slammed into them, and they were thrown back against the trunk. Shino landed on his feet, but Sakura slid down, landing beside Sasuke. Shino stood again and stepped back into the clearing, Sakura slowly following behind him. Dosu cocked his head and narrowed his eye.

"You two are bothersome. We'll just kill you now. Zaku, Kin, hold them."

Shino and Sakura, too tired to fight back by now, struggled against their captors as Dosu marched forward, a smirk on his bandaged face. He took Sakura's cheek in his hand and turned her face this way and that.

"I'm going to have fun breaking you especially. Let's see how you like my Melody Arm."

He reared his arm back and slugged Sakura in the stomach. At first she felt no ill effects, but suddenly her guts felt like they were churning and she lurched out a wad of blood. Shino eyed her with fear and Dosu smugly 'tsked'.

"Such a weakling. Can't even take one punch. Let's see if you do better, pretty boy."

Dosu beat the two for a few more moments before becoming bored. To their credit, neither genin made any noise, surprising the Oto ninja who held them. They just glared at Dosu and spit up blood each time he punched them. The bandaged ninja stepped back and looked over to where Sasuke lay.

"Kill these two. I'll take care of Sasuke quickly. I can't believe that Orochimaru-sama ordered us to do this to these weaklings."

Two gasps came from behind him and he turned to find his teammates held hostage. Kiba, transformed into his more feral state, held Kin's neck from behind with both hands, his fingernails sharpened into claws while Akamaru, in his human form, held her arms, his claws digging into the flesh, leaving rivulets of blood. Ino stood behind Zaku, a kunai to his neck and one to his gonads. Shino and Sakura were on their knees on the ground, panting and hacking up blood, and crawled back over to check on Sasuke.

Dosu ground his teeth and was about to step forward to kill the two wounded ninja when a jagged edge found its way to his throat and a clawed hand held him by the neck, digging into the flesh.

"Make one move and we'll kill you all. Now, we want information. What is Orochimaru planning?"

Dosu's eye moved to where he could just see the edge of Naruto's blonde hair.

"What do you know of Orochimaru-sama?'

"I know he's planning something. We want to know what."

Zaku grinned and spit in Naruto's direction.

"We're not telling you anything."

Ino pushed the kunai into his neck a little deeper and drew blood, letting it rest under his Adam's apple. Zaku grunted and stood on his tiptoes, trying to alleviate the pressure. Ino darted her eyes to Dosu again

"Speak when spoken to. You, the bandaged one. What does Orochimaru want?"

"We don't know. We were just ordered to attack Uchiha Sasuke."

Naruto gripped his neck tighter and cut a few of the bandages so that his blade could better get to the skin.

"Why?"

Dosu gulped and breathed hard.

"He didn't say. We just followed orders."

Before Team Eight could ask any more questions, an explosion of power came from the tree trunk and everyone looked to find Sasuke standing, an evil purple aura surrounding him. Black marks snaked their way up his body and finally settled over his face. His voice was raspy and he sounded a tad insane.

"Power…this power…I can feel it…the power to kill _him_…the power to fulfill my promise!"

He took a few deep breaths and finally noticed his two teammates at his feet. He looked from one to the other, taking note of the deep red blood that ran down their chins.

"Sakura…Shino…who did this to you?"

Zaku, despite the danger he was in, laughed and puffed out his chest.

"Us! We did it!"

Sasuke sneered and rolled his neck, cracking it loudly.

"Then you'll be the first to test my power."

Zaku raised up on his tiptoes again when he felt Ino's kunai go lax for a moment and headbutted her in the nose. She dropped the kunai and he rushed forward to meet Sasuke, intent on taking out the bigger threat. Dosu and Kin shouted at him to stop to no avail. Zaku thrust his right arm out as he reached Sasuke.

"Zankuha!"

The massive blast of air ripped into the space where Sasuke was and Zaku let his arm drop.

"Hmph. Idiot died after all that posing."

"Who's the idiot?"

Zaku froze, unable to move. The guy had avoided his Zankuha? No one had ever done that! Before he could do anything, however, Sasuke grabbed his arms and brought them behind his back, pushing them in opposite directions as if making an 'x', a sadistic smile on his face.

"You're proud of these arms, aren't you? Pride is a sin, you know. Perhaps I should show you the price of a sin."

Zaku groaned and grunted as his arms were pulled more and more in the wrong direction until the strain became to much and he screamed to the Heavens as his arms broke, the bones jutting through the skin. Sasuke let the now-passed-out ninja go and turned to the rest, shaking his head.

"No, that was no good. I didn't get to test my power. It wasn't enough. You! You will fight me!"

Dosu, who Sasuke had pointed at, shook his head and slowly reached into his pocket. Sasuke was about to charge when a scroll came hurtling at his head. He batted it aside and stopped.

"What, you think I'll let you go over a scroll? This is a test of my power!"

Dosu began to sweat and darted his eyes to Zaku's body. Naruto had let the pressure off his neck just a bit, stunned as he was, and that was all that Dosu needed. He threw a smoke bomb he had hidden in his fingers and disappeared quickly, taking Kin and Zaku with him. Sasuke snarled as the smoke dissipated, leaving only Konoha ninja in the clearing.

"How dare they…how dare they! I need to test the measures of this power he gave me. I have to find my limit."

He suddenly caught a familiar head of blonde hair in the smoke and his grin widened ever further as more of Naruto was revealed.

"Uzumaki! You will help me measure the depths of this power!"

"Sasuke-kun, stop it! Naruto, Ino, and Kiba came to help us!"

He rounded on Sakura and glared at her, causing her to shrink back.

"He is my rival! As my rival, he should help me with this task."

"Rivalries are friendly affairs, Sasuke. We've never been friends."

Sasuke stuck his hand out, grinning like mad.

"Then shake my hand. Be my friend. I've had a revelation in recent times, Naruto. I can't do things alone."

Naruto shook his head, not believing the deranged words of his fellow ninja.

"Orochimaru did something to you, Sasuke. Come on, we'll help you get to the tower. Hokage-sama and Kakashi-sensei can check you out there."

Sasuke shook his head and his grin slipped away.

"No, you don't understand. None of you understand. I finally feel powerful. I feel like this could help me defeat _him_. You must help me…whether you want to or not!"

He launched himself at Naruto and the blonde barely had time to put up his defenses, crossing his arms over his face. Sasuke punched the spot where his arms crossed, sending Naruto rocketing back across the clearing. Ino and Kiba shouted out Naruto's name, concerned for his well-being before rounding on Sasuke.

"What the hell, Uchiha? Naruto's a comrade."

"Sasuke-kun, what are you doing?"

"He's going to help me assess this power, whether he wants to or not. Stay the hell out of my way. You wouldn't understand."

He was about to take a step forward when Naruto was before him, landing a kick in his gut. Sasuke rolled backwards and came to his feet, skidding for a bit before launching back into the fight. Naruto didn't have the time to build up for his Kalaripayit and was sticking to just swinging away, basically turning their bout into a brawl. But the longer the fight played out, the stronger Sasuke was getting.

The two landed blows on each other's chins and stumbled back. Sasuke was about to lash out again when a weight landed on his back and arms wrapped around his stomach.

"Sasuke-kun, stop it! Naruto isn't the enemy!"

He turned his head to find Sakura, her eyes wet with tears.

"Let me go."

"No, I won't."

"Sakura, I said let me go!"

As soon as the words had left his mouth a hand found its way to his shoulder and he stopped when he heard the familiar buzzing of Shino's bugs.

"Stop it, Sasuke, or we shall all stop you. This has gone on long enough."

Sasuke ground his teeth together before glaring at Naruto as his curse marks faded, disappearing into the seal again.

"We'll meet again, Uzumaki. Count on it."

"I will. But before you ever call me a rival again, you and I will need to talk."

Sasuke grinned and was about to speak again when pain ripped through his shoulder and he fell to the ground. After several moments, he caught his breath and glared up at Naruto.

"I look forward to it."

Naruto nodded and motioned for Kiba and Shino to follow him away from Sasuke and the two fawning girls.

"Shino, I'm sorry for what happened, but we have to go. The test is still on. Did you get the scroll that that guy threw?'

"Yes. It's a Heaven scroll. Our original was destroyed."

Naruto dug in his pouch for a bit and pulled out an Earth scroll.

"Take this. If you guys don't find another Earth scroll by the end of the fourth day, take your team to the tower and use that. Don't let them know how you got it or when, understand?"

Shino nodded and pocketed the scroll. Kiba placed Akamaru inside his coat and cupped his hands to his mouth.

"Ino! We're leaving!"

She nodded and pulled Sakura aside, holding her shoulders.

"Watch him. If he starts acting funny…"

"I'll watch him, Ino."

The blonde girl nodded her head and walked over to where Naruto and Kiba were standing. As she passed by Shino, who was hobbling along slowly, he gave her a minute nod and continued on. Team Eight assembled themselves and leapt back into the canopy, leaving Team Seven to their own devices.

Sasuke watched them go and the realization came to him that the bruises he'd given Naruto were slowly fading even as he watched. Yes, he and Uzumaki would talk soon.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Team Gai sat in the treetops above where the fiasco had gone down. TenTen turned to Lee and elbowed him.

"Still want to go down there?"

Lee shook his head slowly.

"No. There were too many unknown variables there. I don't mind facing an opponent, but attacking a comrade in a battle lust…that is not my way of doing things. I'm not sure if I wish to fight Sasuke-san anymore."

Neji snorted and turned around on his branch.

"As if you could defeat a genius like him anyway. Fate decrees that those with talent will always inherently overcome those without."

Lee glared at his back while TenTen sighed unhappily. Their team would never function at full capacity if the two didn't get along.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Team Eight arrived at the tower late in the evening and read the writing on the wall. Heaven, Earth, it was obvious what the message meant. Naruto and Kiba unrolled the scrolls and stepped back when they began to smoke. With a grand 'poof', Kurenai emerged and smiled at her students.

"Hello, you three. Congratulations on passing. I've heard a bit about what happened from Anko. Why don't we get a room and you can tell me a little more about it?"

The three nodded and followed along behind her. She led them to an empty room with four beds and a table with four chairs. Gesturing for them to sit, she took the seat beside Naruto and rested her arms on the tabletop.

"So…tell me what happened."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They told her everything. Finding Anko, getting the scrolls, helping Team Seven, the fight with the Oto ninja and Sasuke. At the end, Kurenai was frowning and was not very happy.

"I see. I'll have a talk with Kakashi about Sasuke's behavior."

Naruto shook his head.

"Don't, sensei. It won't do any good. That curse mark is beyond you. It's up to Hokage-sama and Kakashi-sensei now."

Kurenai glared at him and noted that he didn't seem worried in the least.

"Sensei…Kiba and Ino want to know my secret."

That got her attention. She focused on the two genin across from her and leveled an even stare at them.

"Are you sure? This secret cannot leave this room. It is only to be discussed between us four and the Hokage. No one else. Not even your parents. To disobey this order means death. I'm serious."

Now, humans, by nature, are curious creatures. Even when a penalty is leveled against them, most would take the chance to know the truth, even if it meant death. Ignorance is bliss, but humans thrive on misery, even if it is self-inflicted. Kiba and Ino, being teenagers and therefore, more reckless and curious than most, were willing to take that plunge. They nodded vigorously and Kurenai sighed, motioning with her hand for Naruto to go forward.

"It's their decision. The floor is yours, Naruto."

He took a deep breath and looked at the table. When he spoke, it was low, so low that they had to lean forward.

"I'm a jinchuuriki."

Kiba heard what he said, but didn't know what he was talking about. Ino didn't hear everything and both said the same thing.

"Do what?"

Naruto sighed and looked up, his face a blank slate.

"I'm a jinchuuriki. A human sacrifice. I hold one of the tailed beasts inside me with a seal."

Kiba sat back, dumbfounded and held on tighter to Akamaru.

"Which one?"

Ino looked at the feral boy as if he'd lost his mind and smacked him in the back of the head.

"Which one? Which one attacked our village, you idiot?"

Kiba rubbed the back of his head and his eyes went wide. He sat Akamaru on the table and sniffed the air while the puppy did the same.

"You don't smell evil. Mom always said that the Kyuubi absolutely reeked of death and despair. She said she could practically taste it in the air. It was foul."

**I am NOT foul.**

Naruto snorted and the two genin looked at him funny. Naruto looked at them with a smile.

"He said he's not foul."

Ino sat back further in her chair, gripping the sides.

"You can talk to the damn thing?"

**I am NOT A THING!**

Naruto ignored the ranting demon for the moment.

"Yes. I can talk to him and he can talk to me. This only happened recently though."

Ino nodded, piecing together the puzzle.

"Your recent 'training' trip?"

"Yeah. It was an assassination mission. It happened in a life or death situation. Now we can talk to each other and he can feel what I feel, see what I see. We're bound together through this seal."

He lifted his shirt and molded chakra, the seal becoming visible to the eye. Kiba and Ino leaned forward and Ino poked him in the belly.

"So…can it…you know…get out?"

Naruto shook his head and let his shirt fall down.

"No. If he does, we both die. We're tied together. Look, doesn't this freak you out? Aren't you two taking this a little too calmly?"

Kiba shrugged and patted Akamaru's head as the puppy yipped happily at Naruto.

"Dude, you've always smelled of foxes so it's not that big a shock. I mean, yeah, it's kind of weird that my teammate has a demon in him, but you don't smell evil or have an evil aura, so it's ok. Besides, mom would have had a fit if there were something wrong with you."

Naruto nodded happily and turned to Ino. She scoffed and folded her arms.

"You're too hot to be evil."

The other three all quirked an eyebrow and Ino lifted her chin up.

"You're still not as hot as Sasuke, but you have a certain…feral charm…about you. It's…exotic."

Naruto gave her a blank stare.

"That's your whole reason?"

"It's all I need."

"Hey, what about me? I'm pretty feral."

Ino snorted.

"I'd as soon kiss Akamaru."

Kiba growled and picked the puppy up.

"That can be arranged."

Kurenai sighed happily as her genin bickered with each other. It was one crisis averted…although she was sure the issue wasn't settled only but for the moment.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Other teams sifted in one by one. The Suna team had beaten everyone in, breaking the previous record by hours. Naruto had caught up with Team Ten when they came in, looking slightly shaken up. Turned out that they'd run afoul of the Suna team in the early goings and watched as Gaara brutally murdered another team. They were shaken, but still alive.

Naruto had bumped into Gaara one evening in the hall. The two had stopped and stared at each other for several moments, making everyone stop as the tension rose. Gaara's sand rose menacingly and Naruto's growls filled the hallway, causing everyone to inch away. Gaara finally grinned at Naruto and shoved past him, muttering about how alive he would feel soon. Naruto glared after the redhead until he disappeared around the corner and continued on his walk.

Team Seven finally arrived right before the end of the exam. Naruto had been sitting in a windowsill, talking to Kyuubi, when he noticed them walking out of the Forest.

'_So…where the hell were you when all that bullshit was going down?'_

**I feel what you do, you simpleton. Emotions especially. It's an unwanted part of our exchange. If you had been thinking rationally, you would have killed him right then and there.**

_'Sasuke doesn't deserve to be killed. He's an asshole, not a murderer.'_

**You mark my words, boy. You'll regret that decision one day.**

The two fell silent for a while, just enjoying the breeze coming in through the window.

'_I'm going to have to use my kekkei genkai to get past this next part, won't I?'_

**Probably. Unless you get lucky and face someone you know you can beat.**

_'I don't want to win by default. I've been taught not to win that way.'_

**You win as fortune dictates. Now shut up. I'm trying to enjoy the breeze.**

_'Asshole.'_

**Dick.**

The door unlatched and Naruto swung his head to see who it was, ending his insult session with Kyuubi. Hinata poked her head in and gave him a smile.

"It's time, Naruto-kun. We're all assembling in the arena for Hokage-sama."

"I'll be right there."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sarutobi eyed the gathering of genin with an appraising look. This batch could prove to be very interesting. Only Konoha, Suna, and Oto had advanced. Two allies and a relative unknown…yes, interesting indeed.

"Welcome all of you and congratulations. The second part of the Chuunin Exams is over. We will now move ahead to the third stage. Your proctor for this exam is Gekkou Hayate. He will explain the rules for this mock battle between the nations."

The genin started to ask what the Hokage meant when Hayate stepped forward and went into a coughing fit.

"We'll be moving right along since there is no time for questions. Are there any who feel that they cannot proceed?"

The gray haired ninja that Naruto had seen talking to Team Seven raised his hand and Hayate excused him, striking his name from the list.

"Very well, any more? No? Then we'll commence with the fights immediately. These will be one on one. Your teamwork skills are up to snuff apparently. Now we'll see how your skills are in one on one battles. When the board behind me shows your name, please come to the arena. Will the first two whose names appear please stay? The rest of you retire to the balconies."

The genins' heads all swung to the board and the electronic display spun quickly before settling on…

**Aaaanddd...done. If anyone felt that was rushed, sorry, but I wanted to get back to the meat of things. The conversation between Team Eight is far from done, but they do have an exam right now. Priorities, people, priorities. Hope you enjoyed it, let me know what you think.**


	24. Dirty Tricks

And I return! Sorry folks, but Hurricane Ike really did a number on my ability to type and get things out. We didn't have power for a while and then the internet died. Luckily, we're all okay in my neck of the woods and life is back to normal. And, while it isn't the best thing ever, I now have a wireless card, so I can get back to updating whenever I'm finished with a chapter, instead of whenver I can get access. Hope you like what I offer. This is my first chapter back in quite a while, so be gentle. I'm getting back in my groove. **Hide**_ by Creed._

_**Since there is no possible way that any of the other choices could ever catch up, I've decided to open a new poll, containing only the choices of a Naruto x Bleach crossover and a Naruto the Puppeteer story. I have an idea where to go with each and I shall leave a small synopsis at the bottom of my bio page. Read the synopsis and then give an educated vote as to which you would rather see. Thank you in advance.**_

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR**

The board spun quickly, running through the names of the genin, each one hoping that they would be the first called. The flickering names began to slow down until it stopped on one.

"Yes!"

Naruto pumped his fist in the air and slapped Kiba on the back.

"Hah! See, Kiba? I told you I'd get to go first! I told you…I…uh…"

Naruto's face drained of blood when he saw the digital display flash his opponent's name and gulped audibly. The gasps from his fellow Konoha ninja were lost on his ears as he cast his gaze on his equally shocked opponent.

"…oh bloody Hells…"

Naruto licked his suddenly dry lips and fought down the bile in his throat. Out of all the matches, this is the one he expected the least. Hayate coughed into his hand to get everyone's attention.

"Would Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata stay here please? The rest of you go up to the balconies."

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Kurenai and Asuma turned and glared in the direction of the Hokage, noticing with surprise that he did not look amused either. The old man's teeth were clenched down tightly on his pipe and he seemed to be having rather heated words with Anko. The woman was cowed quickly but maintained a cold stare at the old man. Sarutobi took a large drag on his pipe and exhaled, the smoke billowing around him like the clouds of a gathering storm.

"Well, Pops doesn't look too happy either. Guess that means this wasn't his doing."

Kurenai huffed and crossed her arms, motioning for Ino and Kiba to watch the match and not her.

"This isn't right. Those two are trying to forge a relationship and this could damage that."

Asuma took a drag on his cigarette and then crushed it underfoot.

"You're worrying too much. Those two are ninja and consummate professionals on top of that. Besides, Naruto won't let anything get that out of hand. If anything, this'll bring them closer…might even bring the girl out of her shell a little more."

Kurenai quirked her eyebrow and took a deep breath.

"And you'd know this how?"

Asuma grinned and lit another cigarette.

"I've known my nephew longer than you have. Trust me, this'll be good for both of them…besides, it was bound to happen eventually."

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"I guess this was bound to happen eventually, Hinata-chan. Better now than later, huh?"

She gave him a weak smile and nodded her head. This wasn't how she envisioned things going. If he insisted that they both go all out, she wasn't sure who would win. While by no means a virtuoso of the Jyuuken style, Hinata was quite proficient in it. A graze in the wrong place could kill someone, even someone as resilient as Naruto.

"Let's do our best, okay? No holding back."

Hinata bit her lip and nodded slowly. That was what she _hadn't_ wanted to hear. If she didn't hold back, she might hurt him. She didn't want to particularly fight any of her friends. People from other villages were another matter entirely, but she'd almost rather face Neji, of all people, rather than Naruto. Naruto, on the other hand, was just as worried.

Hayate looked from one to the other and coughed. Not an ideal match to start off with, but that was just the first look. It might prove to be entertaining in the end. On paper it was a star attraction…the Hokage's grandson, the local jinchuuriki, and the Hyuuga Heiress. He raised his hand as the two eased into very shaky taijutsu forms and chopped downward.

"Hajime!"

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Naruto and Hinata stood stock still, neither one moving. To an untrained eye, it might seem that they were sizing each other up, but in actuality, they were both petrified. Neither wanted to attack the other and even Hayate's legendary patience was wearing thin. He was just about to say something when a kunai landed between the two genin and their heads swiveled to find Anko with her hand still outstretched.

"Either you two fight or I'm coming in there and busting _both_ of your asses."

Naruto and Hinata gulped and tightened their stances before rushing for each other, trading a series of blows and kicks, with neither genin landing an actual hit. Anko frowned and crossed her arms, muttering under her breath.

"If they don't get serious with each other, I'm going to take more…desperate…measures."

Sarutobi smirked and lowered his hat slightly to hide his face. If Anko was going to motivate the two, then he wouldn't say anything…it might even be more entertaining if she got involved.

Naruto gulped and shrugged apologetically to Hinata.

"Sorry, Hinata-chan. I don't want to do this…but we have no choice."

She nodded and took a deep breath as she settled into the Jyuuken stance once more, this time with conviction.

"All…all right, Naruto-kun. No hard feelings?"

"None at all."

Hayate coughed into his hand and glared at the two.

"I said to start. Either start or I'll disqualify the both of you."

Naruto waited for no word from Hinata and leapt forward, aiming a flying kick at her head. Hinata blocked with her forearms and staggered back, surprised at the amount of strength he had put into the blow. When he came forward and tried for a punch, she rocked back and pirouetted on her left toe, reaching out for his chest. Naruto threw his weight to the side and rolled to a better position, only to have Hinata launch a kick at him as he rose.

Surprised by such an unconventional move from a Jyuuken user, he threw his hands up to block and was surprised further when he hardly budged. There had been little to no force behind the kick. Hinata backed off when he scowled and stood up straight.

"I thought we were going to take this seriously, Hinata. Why aren't you using the true Jyuuken? Those strikes you landed should have incapacitated me."

She frowned and lowered her guard slowly.

"Well, you're not trying very hard either. I know that you're stronger than this. Those hits you landed should have sent me flying."

The two's frowns deepened as they leapt back into battle with one another.

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Anko squinted her eyes and sneered at the half-hearted display of talent. So much promise could be on display and the two were letting that potential go down the drain because of their little romantic desires. She put her hands into the tiger seal and closed her eyes. It was a dirty trick…but then, she was a dirty girl…

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Naruto blinked when his brain became a little fuzzy and shook his head. He could tell it was a genjutsu, a very subtle one, and he smirked as he brought his hands up. Too bad for Hinata that his sensei was well known for genjutsu. He might not be able to make them…but he could sure as hell break them. He took his chakra and brought it inward.

Too bad for him he didn't realize that it was a layered genjutsu. Anko smirked when she felt her first one break and held the other steady. She kept a close eye on Hinata while the girl was going through her own illusion to make sure she didn't break loose before Anko was ready. She felt the illusion take hold with Naruto and waited for the results.

The blonde felt the illusion break and let out a silent breath. He was not prepared, however, for Hinata standing meek and mild across from him. The girl was shy, yes, but she wasn't meek. The two should not be confused. Naruto watched as the girl bit into her right finger, her eyes downcast, her shoulders slumped.

He shook his head in confusion. This wasn't the Hinata he knew. His Hinata wouldn't stand there looking like that, acting that way. She might not be one to start fights, but she could certainly finish them.

So why did she look like she was ready to give up before the fight even started?

They'd already traded blows and neither of them had done anything even remotely harmful. He took a step toward her and she flinched back, her eyes never meeting his as she looked away.

"Hinata-chan?"

Her bottom lip quivered as she turned to Hayate, who merely coughed into his hand.

"I'm sorry, Naruto-kun, but I can't fight you. I…I would like to forfeit."

Naruto's mouth fell open and quickly closed, his fury growing.

"Forfeit? Forfeit?! You don't get to forfeit! That's not the Hinata I know! You're not the girl I know!"

Her shoulders slumped more and his ire climbed higher.

"Stop that! Don't slouch! What the hell is your problem? I don't want to win like this! The person I like wouldn't do this! The Hinata I know isn't a coward! She's shy, but she isn't meek! The Hinata I like is a warrior!"

Hinata's eyes began to tear as she raised her hand.

"I'm sorry…"

Naruto growled and reached out for her hand.

"I said…"

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Hinata watched as Naruto stood looking off to the side, not willing to meet her gaze.

"Naruto-kun, what's the matter? Why'd you stop fighting?"

He avoided her eyes and looked to Hayate.

"Proctor, I would like to forfeit. I simply can't fight her."

Hinata gasped and put her hand to her mouth.

"But…why?"

Naruto glared at her and set his jaw.

"Because I'm too weak. I can't fight the Jyuuken. I'll get massacred."

Hinata's eyes narrowed.

"Don't talk like that. I know you can beat the Jyuuken style. I know you can beat _me_."

Naruto shook his head.

"No, I can't. No one can beat your family's style. Especially not me."

Hinata's resolve set like concrete.

"Yes, you can. There's only one way to know if you can't and that's to fight me! Don't give up. That's not how I want to win! This isn't the Naruto I know! He's not a coward and he doesn't run away! The boy I like is a true shinobi!"

He turned to Hayate and raised his hand.

"I'm sorry, Hinata-chan."

Hinata frowned and reached out for his arm.

"I said…"

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Anko let the illusion slip, seeing as the two had acted just as she wanted. Finally, they'd get a fight worthy of the two. She took a deep breath to calm herself. Genjutsu wasn't a strong point of hers and they took a lot of concentration.

An amused chuckle from beside her made her look slightly down into the eyes of a smiling Sarutobi.

"An interesting approach, Anko-chan. Oh, don't worry. I won't say anything to anyone. This will be our little secret."

She sighed in relief and turned her attention back to what was about to happen.

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The sound of flesh being smacked was heard throughout the arena as Hinata grabbed Naruto's right arm and he grabbed her left, their arms crossing. Both screamed at the same time.

"The person I like isn't a coward!"

The two stood for a moment glaring at each other, totally lost in the moment. The fact that they'd both just practically proclaimed they liked each other lost to them. Naruto was the first to speak.

"I won't let you give up!"

Hinata, not catching onto the fact that he'd just spoken what she was thinking, jerked her hand back and let her chakra flow into it.

"I won't let you give up either!"

She thrust her hand forward, intent on incapacitating him, barely missing as he grabbed hold of the arm she had been holding him with and twirled her around like they were dancing. Naruto waited until they were back to back and let go of her arm, pitching himself forward and hand-springing away.

Hinata came out of her spin and launched herself at Naruto like a missile, both hands ready to hit his points. She might not be able to see the Tenketsu, but she knew about where they were. Naruto landed on his feet and turned just in time to raise his hands in defense. A slapping sound was heard as Hinata hit home and her eyes widened.

Naruto had blocked her blow by covering his hands in chakra. While it was shaky and he was having trouble maintaining it, he had such a large amount that control wasn't necessary. He simply let out enough to cover his hands and then let the flow stop once the danger had passed.

She leapt back and fell into her Jyuuken stance again, one hand in front, palm forward, and one hand at her side, palm forward. Naruto got into a basic Kalaripayit stance, standing sideways with his palms down, fingers moving constantly in anticipation. Hayate sighed, thanking Kami that they had finally decided to get serious, and the two took the exhalation of breath as an invitation to go forward.

Hinata didn't know much about Naruto's style, so she opted to go on the offensive quickly. Her frustration grew as every blow was blocked by the boy, his hands coated in chakra, until his concentration slipped and she got one by his defenses, right to his gut. Naruto spit out a glob of blood and staggered backwards.

**Boy, don't let her do that again! I felt that here in the seal!**

Naruto wiped the blood from his mouth and took a deep breath. He couldn't afford to try to play by her rules anymore. He raised his arms, crossed his fingers, and spoke in an eerily calm voice.

"Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

Hinata's eyes widened as she strained to keep track of all the clones the boy had made. She cursed herself for not having learned the Kaiten yet, as it would be most useful in this situation. The Narutos surrounding her readied themselves and rushed forward without a word.

Hinata's hands moved frantically, dispelling clones left and right. Her brow was fast becoming soaked with sweat and the things kept coming. Every now and then they would land a blow on her, but the hits were so soft she didn't register them. Suddenly, one hit her significantly harder than normal and she winced. It had punched her right in her kidney. That was going to bruise.

Five more were dispelled as she spun in a circle, her hands a blur. She couldn't perform her family's vaunted Sixty-four Palms Jutsu yet either, and that would have been most useful in her situation. She observed, with some ire, that the original Naruto still had yet to move…and that when those blows landed now, they were getting increasingly harder. Hinata decided that she needed to be surprising as well. She'd been working on this for a while and it wasn't finished, but…

Naruto's eyes popped open when all of his clones were suddenly destroyed by a swipe of Hinata's hand as she pirouetted on her toes. Whatever jutsu she had used had cut into his side and he was barely able to leap away. His side was bleeding profusely and his shirt was torn. He squinted and could barely make out what looked like a chakra string attached to her palm.

"What was that?"

Hinata gulped in some air, finally having some breathing room, and gave him a smile.

"I'll tell you one day. It isn't finished yet."

He nodded in acceptance, seeing as he had plenty of secrets of his own. What he had planned for a finale was somewhat anticlimactic, but he thought that the other ninjas would appreciate it. It was pretty underhanded after all. Without another word, he made one more clone and it flipped through some handseals before smoke billowed around it and the clone…disappeared.

Hinata watched warily with her Byakugan as the clone suddenly seemed to…sink into the floor? That couldn't be right. It had seemed to just suddenly melt into the floor, like it had fallen down a hole. She shook her head and kept her eyes activated, just in case Naruto was planning a trick…as he most assuredly was.

Naruto rushed forward and began engaging her in a taijutsu fight again, his hands coated in chakra. Hinata grit her teeth and tried frantically to get under his guard, using her superior flexibility to bend this way and that to get around him. Once again, Naruto's guard slipped and Hinata slammed her hand into his head, with just enough chakra, she thought, to render him unconscious. He spat blood again and smiled at her as he grabbed both of her wrists.

"Sorry, Hinata-chan. But it's over."

She smiled at him and struggled to get free, but his grip was ironclad.

"I know. You should be falling asleep any moment now. I'm sorry, Naruto-kun."

'_Kyuubi?'_

**Not gonna happen. You'll stay awake…for a few more minutes at least. She did give you a pretty good blow with a Jyuuken strike no less…and I don't want everyone getting suspicious if you use my chakra…yet.**

Naruto pushed the girl backward, causing her to stumble, as he pulled out a smoke bomb and threw it at her feet. Hinata was a fraction too slow as she watched the clone appear from the ground and cross its wrists, forming an 'x', and thrust them into her throat. She was lifted into the air, choking the whole way, and then slammed down onto the unforgiving floor. Naruto winced when the girl gagged and her eyes rolled to the back of her head.

Hayate walked over and checked the girl's pulse. After finding she was still alive, but unconscious, he shrugged, coughed, and pointed at Naruto.

"Winner, Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto grinned and walked over to Hinata. She had a nasty bump on the back of her head, but otherwise she was fine. He scooped her up bridal style and walked back to the staircase that led to the balconies. He smiled down at her as he walked up the stairs.

"You did good, Hinata-chan. I'm proud of you."

She snuggled into his chest further and a small smile crossed her face as he walked up the stairs. He stopped in between his team and Team Ten and sat down with Hinata beside him, her head leaning on his shoulder. His friends and sensei all gathered round, congratulating him for his victory. Naruto just smiled and nodded. His eyelids were already growing heavy.

"Thanks…but…I think I'm gonna take a nap now."

He passed out right before he could hear the next match, his head lolling to the side and resting against Hinata's.

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Naruto had been left alone by Kyuubi for quite a while after he passed out before he found himself in one of those familiar high-back chairs, with the Kyuubi in front of him, his hands steepled together, his right knee crossed over his left.

**Well…you did it. You won. Was it worth it?**

'_I'd like to think so.'_

**She seemed to be quite content. You should be waking up any minute now.**

'_Did that one hit hurt the seal any?'_

**No, unfortunately. I was hoping you'd be introduced to a little bit of pain.**

'_What she did hurt plenty.'_

**I was simply hoping for more.**

'_How long have I been out?'_

**A while. You've probably missed several matches.**

'_Damn. I really wanted to see who fought whom. Now I won't know what they're capable of.'_

They sat silent for a while before Naruto's feet began to fade.

**You're waking up.**

'_Thank Kami. Talking to you really is the highlight of my day, you know?'_

**Quite. But before you go, I do have one thing to say.**

'_What's that?'_

Naruto could feel the grin even though he couldn't see it anymore.

**I'll be seeing you soon…boy…**

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Naruto groaned and sat up straight, his hand covering his eyes to shield them from the light. He blinked and looked around the unfamiliar room. Slowly, he realized that he was in the infirmary of the arena. A medic sat off to his right, watching over Hinata. Naruto threw the covers back and walked over.

"How is she?"

The medic jumped slightly and turned around.

"Ah, Naruto-san. She's fine. She's going to have quite a headache when she wakes up, but other than that, she'll recover nicely. Now, about your head trauma…"

"There is no head trauma. I'm fine."

The medic shook her head.

"You were struck by a Jyuuken strike to the temple, Naruto-san. You shouldn't even be up."

He fixed her with an even stare and she wilted slightly. He could be intimidating when he wanted. Working with Anko and Ibiki would do that to you.

"I said I'm fine. Who else is in here?"

The medic wiped her brow and pointed around the room to different doors.

"Well, your teammate Inuzuka Kiba was checked in right after you. He's in a different room. His opponent was, I believe, Rock Lee. He was beaten quite badly. Other than that we have Akadou Yoroi, Haruno Sakura, and that's it. There was a Suna genin who was drained of his chakra, but he refused medical attention and is watching the other matches."

Naruto nodded slowly and looked back at Hinata. She looked so peaceful. He smiled and smoothed her hair out of her face. The medic smiled at him.

"The two of you are a cute couple. It's too bad you had to fight each other."

Naruto blushed slightly and pulled his hand back.

"We're not a couple, we're just really good friends. Besides…I don't think it could ever actually happen…"

He gave the medic a small sad smile, which she returned. She did feel a bit sad for the boy. His position was a unique one. Naruto turned away and started toward the door.

"When she wakes up, tell her that I'll see her soon."

The medic bowed her head slightly and turned back around to watch the Hyuuga heiress, who remained unconscious.

"You're a lucky girl, Hyuuga-san. He's quite a catch."

Hinata just kept on sleeping, oblivious to the exchange.

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Kurenai felt the presence suddenly seem to appear beside her and smiled. Nothing could keep Naruto down for long. She was just glad that his and Hinata's match had turned out all right.

"Are you feeling all right, Naruto?"

"Hai, sensei. I'm feeling fine. Hinata-chan is doing well too. Care to fill me in on what's happened?"

Kurenai nodded and rested her forearms on the steel railing, looking back out at the arena. Ino was about to fight the bandaged ninja from Oto.

"Kiba was up after you. His match was against Gai's genin, Rock Lee. They were both excited to face off against another taijutsu specialist. Kiba and Akamaru tried to double team Lee, but he was too fast. Kiba began to get angry and got too sloppy and that's when Lee struck. He hit him with Gai's Konoha Senpuu and that was that. Akamaru tried to subdue him, but Lee turned him away with quick punches and kicks. Kiba still has a way to go."

Naruto shook his head and watched as Ino tried to corral the Oto nin while he tried to get closer.

"That's not fair, sensei. Lee was trained by Gai-sensei. It's no wonder he's insanely fast and strong. Gai-sensei does not put up with weakness."

"That's true. But Kiba was still outmatched. That won't sit well with him."

Naruto winced as Ino was knocked back by Dosu.

"Then he needs to train harder. Lee isn't a pushover. Who was up next?"

Kurenai scowled and her lips tightened.

"Uchiha Sasuke was up next against a Konoha genin called Akadou Yoroi. He did not use his Sharingan at all during the match. Probably couldn't because of the seal Orochimaru put on him. He beat Yoroi with what looked like one of Gai's taijutsu moves. I glanced over in his direction and he and Kakashi were having very heated words."

"I think Lee challenged Sasuke before the exams began. He might have learned it from his Sharingan. Where is Sasuke now?"

Ino was frantically trying to keep Dosu and his Melody Arm away from her with shuriken, but the boy kept batting them away.

"I don't know. Kakashi took him away. He didn't even stay to watch Sakura or Shino's matches. Typical of him…"

Naruto winced when Dosu finally managed to catch Ino with his arm and she screamed as she went down, clutching her ears. Naruto wanted to help her, but interfering in the matches was forbidden. He simply watched helplessly as Hayate called the match and the medics took Ino away. He hoped her hearing was not permanently damaged. Dosu glared at him as he passed by and Naruto returned it in full.

The board spun again and stopped on Sabaku no Gaara…and Sabaku no Temari.

"I forfeit!"

Hayate merely blinked and nodded to Temari. The girl looked fearfully at Gaara, who glared at her murderously and gripped his crossed arms harder with his fingers. He was denied blood this time, but he couldn't fault his sister for being scared of him. She was smart enough to value her life…and Mother had no interest in her blood.

Hayate coughed into his hand and called for the board to spin again. It landed on Akimichi Chouji and Tsurugi Misumi. The jovial rotund boy walked down the stairs, followed by his glasses-clad opponent. Naruto watched as they squared off and sighed.

"I guess I'm the only one of Team Eight to pass. Sorry, sensei."

Kurenai smiled and let out a sigh as well.

"It's all right, Naruto. Kiba and Ino just drew bad lots. I'm sure if she had drawn Sakura she would have won. I'm not sure who Kiba would have been good against. Shikamaru maybe. He's pretty lazy."

Naruto snorted and watched as Misumi tried to serpentine around Chouji, who merely expanded his body.

"Shikamaru is really smart. Kiba is good, but not good enough to beat Shikamaru. What happened to Sakura?"

Kurenai frowned again. Chouji began to roll around the arena, bouncing off the walls whenever he came to them.

"She faced off against Hyuuga Neji. He offered her the chance to quit. Admirably, the girl did not. It didn't matter in the end. Neji was brutally efficient. I don't think he deigned her worthy of the Jyuuken. He just pushed pressure points and she went to sleep. The knot on her head was from her dropping face first onto the tiles."

Naruto turned his head and glared at Neji, who felt the burning gaze, and glared back. Naruto sneered and slowly brought his eyes back to Kurenai.

"Who was next?"

"Aburame Shino and Sabaku no Kankurou. Their match was…interesting…to say the least. It seemed neither one wanted to give away all their secrets. In fact, the puppet user was almost hesitant to fight."

"Hesitant?"

Kurenai nodded her head.

"Yes. Shino hardly moved the entire match. His kikai bugs found that the Kankurou we saw before was the actual puppet and the wrapping was the real boy. He clogged the joints of the puppet with his bugs and then beat the real Kankurou with taijutsu. Surprisingly, he is quite well versed in hand-to-hand. Most Aburame aren't."

Naruto frowned and let out a slow breath.

"So, they're both still mysteries then. That's too bad. I would have liked to have seen Shino fight."

Kurenai nodded and watched as Shikamaru and the girl from Oto, Tsuchi Kin, faced off.

"I'm going to go check on Kiba and Ino. Once the matches are over, I want you to meet me in the infirmary and we'll continue that talk."

"Hai, sensei."

Kurenai Shunshin-ed away and Naruto watched as Kin threw her belled senbon to confuse Shikamaru. His senses became dulled as she pulled on the strings she had attached to the bells, making them ring. Unfortunately for her, Shikamaru's brain was hardwired to think things through. The boy waited for his opportunity to strike and had his shadow form along the unseen shadow of the string, running toward Kin.

The girl was having a good time messing with Shikamaru's head as she prepared her final blow when suddenly her body seized up and she froze. She turned fearful eyes to Shikamaru, whose smirk wasn't making her feel any better.

"So, you like to mess with people's heads, huh? Let's mess with your head a bit."

She tried to fight him as she mimicked his steps backward. Shikamaru finally stopped and grinned.

"This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you, if it's any consolation."

Before Kin could ask him what he meant, Shikamaru threw himself backwards and Kin flew back as well, her head cracking against the wall and knocking her out. Shikamaru let his jutsu drop and flopped to the floor on his rear end, holding the back of his head with both hands. Hayate looked from the knocked out girl to the grumbling boy and coughed.

"Winner, Nara Shikamaru."

Naruto chuckled as Shikamaru ambled up the stairs and passed him by.

"King takes pawn?"

Shikamaru stopped and eyed Naruto for a bit before turning away, still rubbing his sore head.

"Mendokuse."

The blonde boy snorted and turned his attention back to the last match, Abumi Zaku vs. TenTen. He cocked his head as he studied the boy with the broken arms. He knew that Sasuke had broken every bone in the boy's arms and that even a medic couldn't mend bones that quickly. Some things just had to heal naturally. Hayate gave the boy a chance to forfeit, but he adamantly refused.

TenTen, never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, immediately launched into her Soushouryuu jutsu. She lifted herself into the air and began the task of launching every weapon she had at Zaku. He stood breathing heavily as he watched the shining steel bear down on him and suddenly thrust his arms out.

"Zankuuha!"

Everyone watched, awed, as the disabled boy used his wind tunnels to blow every weapon away. They scattered across the floor and embedded in the walls. TenTen floated in the air for a second and smirked as she crossed her arms. Zaku, still breathing hard from overexerting himself, was unprepared as the weapons rose again and flew at him. With a roar of fury, he flung his arms out and unleashed a flurry of wind that would have made Temari jealous.

TenTen was thrown against the wall and collapsed to the ground. Zaku fell to his knees and tried to lift his arms to no avail. His muscles were shredded and his arms were useless. His one consolation was that he'd taken the girl out. He cursed when he saw her rising from the floor and tried to get away when TenTen moved her arms in circles and the strings attached to the weapons rose once more and encircled him, rendering him motionless.

TenTen grabbed a sickle off the floor and staggered over to the prone boy who glared at her with as much hatred as he could muster. The bun-haired girl put the sickle to his throat and spat a glob of blood beside him.

"I'm only going to give you one chance."

Zaku was about to level a string of curses at her when Hayate called the match.

"Zaku is unable to compete. Winner, TenTen."

The bun-haired girl grinned and pumped her arms in the air in victory as medics hauled Zaku off. Naruto looked around the room at his competition. This portion was finished.

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The qualifying genin stood before the Hokage were beaten, battered, and some bloody, but all were attentive. Sarutobi smiled at all of them before beginning his speech.

"Congratulations on winning the preliminaries. Before you go, I have a little bit more information for you. The finals will take place a month from now, giving you time to train and heal from your ordeals over the past few days. "

Several of the genin grumbled about the wait and Sarutobi 'harrumphed' to get their attention again.

"These exams are not only to see if you have the capability to become chuunin. They are to show off the power of your respective village. There will be several dignitaries and important people at the finals to see the display of talent. Your performance could affect the amount of missions given to your village as well as raise your stock with your Kage. These exams have more than your promotion riding on them."

He looked around to all the genin and finally let his hard gaze settle on his grandson.

"This month is given to you to rest and train, to strategize and formulate a game plan. Your opponent will be announced at the finals. After all, ninja must be prepared for anything, including the unknown. I wish you all luck and I shall see you all again in one month. You are dismissed."

Sarutobi disappeared in a whirl of leaves and the genin were instructed to follow the proctors back to the village. Naruto was about to leave when Kurenai appeared behind him and put her hand on his shoulder.

"They've already moved Ino and Kiba to the village proper. They've been given a room together for the moment so that we can have that 'talk'. Let's go."

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Ino lay looking at the ceiling in her bed beside Kiba, Akamaru laying across his lap, licking his wounds. The Inuzuka boy had been uncharacteristically silent the whole time they'd been moved and as they lay in the room together.

"Kiba…you're too quiet. What's the matter?"

He sighed, but remained staring at the ceiling.

"I thought that was something you dreamed about, Ino."

"You being quiet, yes. You apparently thinking while being quiet, no."

Kiba rubbed Akamaru's back and rolled his head to the side to look at her, his right eye still swollen shut from one of Lee's powerful punches.

"Naruto…and his 'houseguest'…what do you think?"

Ino blinked in surprise and gripped her sheets tighter.

"Naruto has never done anything to harm us. He's never hurt anybody who wasn't an enemy. Your sense of smell is better than anyone, Kiba. You said yourself that neither you nor Akamaru could smell malice or hatred on him. Kurenai-sensei doesn't seem bothered."

Kiba nodded and accidentally rubbed Akamaru too hard, gaining him a nip on the hand.

"Yeah…and…Hokage-sama wouldn't have taken Naruto into his home if he was dangerous. His parents wouldn't want him around. But still…knowing what he has inside him…and the way he looks now…"

Ino let out a shuddering breath and sat upright against the wall, her ears ringing as she did. She gritted her teeth and waited for it to stop. When the ringing finally stopped, she gave Kiba a half-hearted glare.

"Naruto has a little brother that adores him. And he's saved us a few times out in the field on missions. The Kyuubi wouldn't do that. He'd have let us die."

"You're right. He would have. And that's why he's sealed inside your teammate."

Kiba and Ino swung their heads to find Kurenai and Naruto in the doorway and both immediately regretted the action. Kiba's headache increased and Ino nearly threw up from the vertigo. Naruto and Kurenai helped the two prop up against the wall and put pillows behind them. Kurenai then pulled two chairs to the end of the beds and motioned for Naruto to sit in one while she took the other.

"Now then…we've been listening to you two outside the door. While I'm happy that the two of you have come to terms with this on your own, you need to realize that not everyone else knows and this is a secret that could get you executed. Your options of discussion are limited to Team Eight, the Hokage, and possibly your parents. Now then, do you have any questions that I or Naruto might be able to answer?"

The two answered in the affirmative and Ino hurriedly asked hers first.

"Does it hurt having him inside of you?"

Naruto shook his head.

"No. In fact, he heals most of my injuries, so it's kind of a blessing having him sealed inside of me. The rugged good looks are just a byproduct."

Kiba chuckled and Akamaru yipped.

"That comes naturally for me, you know. I was born looking this good. I don't need to have 'enhancements'."

Everyone chuckled at the weak joke before silence settled over them again. For several minutes, no one moved until Kiba finally sighed.

"Look, Naruto. Akamaru has a keener nose than mine. If you let him sniff you and try to find anything wrong with you, I'd appreciate it. If Akamaru trusts you, then I will too."

Naruto nodded his head and Akamaru jumped off the bed and into the blonde's lap. Naruto sat still while Akamaru sniffed all over him before the puppy turned around and barked at Kiba.

"So, there is a tiny trace of demon in him? And the smell of foxes is more prominent? But otherwise, he's Naruto…all right. Akamaru says you're good to go, so you have my support. But…if the seal ever weakens or you lose control to the demon…"

Naruto nodded grimly.

"Then I want you guys to take me out. Kyuubi might give advice every now and then, but I don't trust him for anything. His advice is usually along the lines of 'kill them all', so it's somewhat biased."

Kurenai, deciding to turn the conversation away from the unsavory direction it was headed, patted Ino on the leg.

"Is there anything you'd like to say?"

Ino leaned back against her pillows and stared at a spot on the ceiling. She still hurt all over and her equilibrium was shot to hell. Those problems paled in comparison to the one here.

"Tell us about your mission where you changed."

Naruto smiled and recounted his last assassination mission. He told them of shadowing Team Seven, of fighting on the bridge, and of how he killed Haku. He told them of his change and how he talked to the Kyuubi. He told them what it looked like, the form it had taken. Ino and Kiba listened just as intently as Kurenai did. By the end of the recount, they were both awed.

"Wow. So, he helps you when you're in trouble?"

"Yeah, Kiba. He does sometimes. It's mostly whenever he feels like it. He and I don't get along too well."

Ino shifted on her bed and looked at Naruto with sad, woeful eyes.

"How do you do it, Naruto? How can you stand knowing all that? How can you be so happy all the time?"

"I have people around me who accept me. That's all I need."

Kurenai, seeing that the issue was already resolved and that they were now just going in circles, rose from her seat.

"Come along, Naruto. We need to let these two rest and begin your training. You're going to have a tough time of it. Kiba, Ino, get better quickly and when you're out, come find me. We'll be upping your training as well."

Goodbyes were said and sensei and student left the hospital. At the bottom of the staircase leading to the main doors, Kurenai stopped Naruto and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Meet me in our training grounds tomorrow at eight o'clock. We'll be working on everything. Be prepared."

Before Naruto could nod, she Shunshin-ed away. He sighed and did the same, appearing outside his house, never seeing the sunken eyes of a squatty figure watching him from the bushes.

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That night, Naruto had wild dreams of snakes and toads, of a struggle between the two, but neither ever winning. He dreamed of a tanuki attacking the toad and the toad pushing it back, despite the difference in size and strength. The last thing he remembered in the dream before he was startled awake was that a monkey and a snake fought one another, but he never saw the conclusion of the fight because he woke up.

His sheets were soaked with sweat and he didn't know why. It wasn't a nightmare per se, more like a very confusing dream. He had no idea what it could mean. Was it a premonition? Was it a sign of things to come? He knew that those animals were summons. Could that mean something? He just didn't know.

He said goodbye to his mother and father, dodged Konohamaru on the way out, and proceeded to his training grounds. When he arrived, he was startled to find Kurenai already there and in heated words with an unfamiliar man.

What surprised him more were all the toads around them. Toads of all sizes, big and small, wearing clothing and armor. His sensei was not happy to see them apparently and she made that known to the man who sat on a rock with his arms crossed, an unhappy look on his face.

Naruto took the moment to observe more about the man. His face was marked with two red streaks and his long mane of white hair reached almost to the ground. His feet were shod in wooden geta and his clothing was reminiscent of a kabuki. Naruto immediately knew who he was. There was only one person he could be.

He strode into the clearing and Kurenai turned to him and began to speak, but was cut off by the man.

"Kurenai-san, you are dismissed. I must speak with Naruto alone."

She rounded on him, intent on getting her word in.

"Now see here! This is _my_ student and I won't have you…"

The man was off the rock in an instant and towered over the small woman. His eyes brooked no further argument.

"Kurenai, I'm asking nicely. I need to speak with Naruto and it must be alone. You. Are. Dismissed."

Her face drew tight as her mouth, usually carrying a small smile, set itself into an ugly grimace. She whipped around to Naruto, her eyes gleaming with fury.

"Come find me when you are done."

She Shunshin-ed away and the man sat waiting until he was sure she was gone. He crossed his arms again and looked down at Naruto.

"I assume you know who I am. It's been quite a while since I last saw you…Naruto. You've grown quite a bit."

Naruto nodded and bowed to the man, not happy at all with how he had treated his sensei.

"Hai. I believe that Hokage-sama said the last time you visited was when I was two…Jiraiya-sama."

**And done. Fight scenes really aren't my thing. I'm a dialogue driven individual, but I try. Watch for the next chapter. Let me know what you think.**

**_Special thanks go to DarkHeroOrion for drawing the lots for the Chuunin Exams for me. It was a random drawing so there would be no bias. The finals have already been set as well. Give the guy his props. The Naruto/Hinata match has never been done before that I've seen._**


	25. Your Hair is Really Soft, Bro

And here's Chapter 25. Folks, I am severely disappointed with some of you in regards to the last chapter. I have a rant on my bio page that will deal with that, so I'll leave that there. Some of your reviews were very scathing and although I have thick skin, some of those remarks still hurt. I will be taking a month off from writing any of my stories to review how I write and whether or not it's worth writing anymore. I'm losing my steam and the idiots who snipe seem to be coming out in force. It's not fair to hold me to a higher standard against other Fanfiction authors. I have my own standards and, while I don't meet them all the time, I do a good majority. Read the rant and tell me what you think. For the still loyal readers, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I shall see you in a month. Readers, Reviewers, Thank you...**Standing Outside the Fire **_by Garth Brooks._

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE**

"To what do I owe the honor, Jiraiya-sama?"

The white-haired man leveled his gaze at Naruto and sighed. He felt so old standing there, watching the boy intently as he stood at attention. He had always said that he wanted respect from those younger than him but coming from the blonde…it didn't seem right.

"Now, now, none of that 'Jiraiya-sama' business, Naruto. You can simply call me Jiraiya. You're a student of my sensei as well, after all."

Naruto shook his head.

"It would not feel right. You are in station above me. I have been taught to respect my superiors."

Jiraiya quirked an eyebrow and frowned. Sarutobi had sure done a number on the kid. He'd noticed several discrepancies just from watching him for the duration of the exams, following along behind him and his team, watching his match from the shadows…the toads beside him croaked in mirth at hearing someone respect him and he huffed in annoyance.

"You call me whatever you like then, kid. I have a few things to discuss with you before I turn you over to the toads."

Naruto stiffened a bit and his claws clenched and unclenched.

"What do you need to speak to me about?"

"Your performances over the last few months…and your training before that. You're an enigma to me, Naruto. You have so much skill and yet, when it comes to certain people, you seem to go down to their level. Is it that you don't consider it a fair fight unless it's even?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes as some of the toads croaked in agreement.

"I fight to the best of my ability. Sometimes I am simply caught off guard."

Jiraiya snorted and picked some dust off the front of his jacket.

"Bullshit. You have a power that would be envied throughout the Elemental Nations. You have a pedigree and training that are above anything most others can brag about. You have all of this going for you, but you seem to be stuck in a rut. Even Anko can't seem to break you of this silly little habit."

A growl cut through the air and Jiraiya's mouth turned up slightly in a grin.

"I don't care what you think. I do the best I can. If all you're going to do is insult me, then I shall bid you good day."

Naruto turned to walk off and Jiraiya examined his fingernails.

"Tell me, before you go. Why was it so hard to beat Hyuuga Hinata? Is it because you have feelings for her? Afraid to hurt her? Or was it simply because you really are a coward?"

Naruto's hair stood up on the back of his neck and he whirled around.

"I've had enough of you! You've insulted my sensei, belittled me, and now you've brought Hinata-chan into this! She has nothing to do with this!"

Jiraiya strode up in front of the boy and looked down at him, his height making Naruto crane his neck to look up.

"Again, I call bullshit. That fight was pathetic. I've seen academy students put up a better brawl. You were both too afraid to hurt one another and needed some 'prompting' to get your asses in gear. And proclaiming that you like each other in front of everyone? Get the fuck out, kid. This isn't an after-school special."

Naruto grit his teeth, but remained silent, his teeth bared. Jiraiya took in a deep breath and let a slow grin cross his face.

"Hey, don't feel too bad, kid. It was bad luck. Luck of the draw. You and your little girlfriend just had a shitty match. I know you're capable of more. Both of you. That's why it was so painful to watch. Everyone knows that you two could probably wipe the floor with anyone."

Naruto's jaw unclenched a tiny bit and his shoulders relaxed.

"I'm disappointed that you didn't use your kekkei genkai though. You can't always hold back things from people. Your peers are going to find out what you can do sooner or later and it might as well be sooner. These are your comrades, not the enemy. In the finals, you need to let loose. You can't afford to hold back. There's more than your secrets on the line. There's the reputation of your sensei and your family."

Naruto said nothing.

"I know all about your condition too, kid, and for what it's worth, I'm sorry. You've probably gotten a lot of shit because of it. If it's any consolation though, you haven't had it as bad as some jinchuuriki. Most are reviled in their villages and live as though they were subhuman. It's appalling. You've been fortunate."

Naruto relaxed a little more.

"But, sooner or later, your friends are going to find out what you are. If you like that girl as much as you said you did, then she's going to have to be told. Your teammates might know and they might accept you, but some won't. That's something you'll have to deal with unfortunately. You can't hide who and what you are forever."

Naruto stood still for a moment, wondering if Jiraiya was going to continue.

"Is that all?"

Jiraiya nodded his head and Naruto glared at him.

"I've never met you before and suddenly you come barging in and telling me what's what. I don't like that. I don't know you. You might be revered as a shinobi, but that doesn't mean you know squat about me."

Jiraiya threw his head back and laughed long and hard. Naruto frowned and crossed his arms.

"I don't see what's so damn funny."

Jiraiya wiped a tear from his eye and smiled down at the boy.

"I know all about you, brat. I've known everything that's gone on with you since you started to walk."

Naruto blinked, not believing what he was hearing.

"And how, pray tell, do you think you know anything?"

Jiraiya swept his hand out in an arching motion, covering the toads in the clearing.

"Them. They've been watching you since you were little, Naruto, making sure that relatively little harm came to you. They've been watching you and waiting for the day that they could step from the shadows to meet you face to face."

Naruto looked around the man to all the toads, who had wide smiles on their faces and were waving at him. He raised his hand hesitantly, gave them a slow wave, and turned back to Jiraiya.

"They've been stalking me? You've had them stalking me?"

Before Jiraiya could defend himself, a hacking laugh was heard from the small pagoda.

**Ah, don't bother, Jiraiya-chan. This boy needs to see it to believe it. Come over here, Naruto. It's time we had a little chat.**

Naruto's eyes widened as he heard the toad speak. He knew that summons had that ability, but to actually see it in action…it was somewhat unsettling. He hesitantly made his way over to the elderly toad and sat down cross-legged. The toad smiled and thumped its cane on the ground.

**Yes, yes, you've grown into a fine young man. A bit on the silly side with some of your ideals, but nothing we can't iron out. Ah! Introductions, how silly of me. My name is Fukasaku, one of the Elder Toads. It's a pleasure to finally speak with you.**

Naruto nodded his head dumbly and bowed at his waist.

"It is a pleasure to meet with you as well, Elder. To what do I owe this honor?"

Fukasaku grinned and cut his eyes to Jiraiya.

**Seems someone needs to take a lesson in manners from the boy. You were never this polite.**

Jiraiya snorted and sat on a rock not far away.

"I can't imagine why in this motley crew."

Fukasaku waved his cane threateningly at Jiraiya and cleared his throat.

**Well now, where to begin?**

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Fukasaku put his webbed foot to his chin and rubbed back and forth, before stroking his beard in thought. He had much to discuss with the boy and so little time at the moment. Perhaps…he had been too hasty…

"Fukasaku-sama, I don't mean to be rude, but my sensei is waiting on me. I have a tournament to train for."

Fukasaku rolled an eye around to Naruto and grinned.

**Underneath that polite exterior, you're really a rough-and-tumble child, aren't you? The mere thought of conformity and rules appalls you. We know of your pre-ordained profession, of the office you must take. It wasn't fair to force all that on you, was it?**

Naruto set his jaw and shook his head.

"My grandfather is merely doing what needs to be done. I'm being groomed to take his position in a few years. While it is not my wish, it is my duty as a ninja to honor the wishes of my Hokage."

Fukasaku blinked and drummed his toes on his staff.

**A generic answer. Naruto, we, the toads of Mt. Myouboku, know that you love your family and that, even though you are at odds with him right now, that you idolize your grandfather. We've watched you as you've grown. We saw you train yourself to the bone with Maito Gai. We watched as your uncle bolstered your mind. We watched as your sensei, Kurenai, began to slowly bring you out of your shell and make you more accessible to the people around you.**

The elderly toad frowned at Naruto's seeming disinterest in his recount.

**Jiraiya is right. You have so much talent, so much skill, and yet, you do not use it. That is wasteful and an insult to your sensei. Perhaps our coming here so soon was not advisable. You are still too immature. It is not yet time.**

Naruto rose to the bait and Fukasaku smirked to himself.

"Why don't you tell me why you came here before you make assumptions? You've been stalking me since I was little so the least you owe me is an explanation."

Fukasaku thumped his cane on the ground again with as much force as he could muster and Naruto felt the ground shake slightly. The other toads ribbited in annoyance and he cut his eyes around to them.

**Make no mistake, Naruto, our interest in you goes back quite a ways. And we have not stalked you. We've been watching over you all your life. We came here because the time is coming when we will have to name a new summoner. Jiraiya, as you very well know, is the current summoner of the toads. You will be our next summoner.**

Naruto blinked and slowly rose to his feet.

"I am honored by your request and I will give it consideration."

**It was not a request. _You_ are our summoner. The great Elder Toad of Mt. Myouboku saw this in a vision. Our paths were destined to cross from the very beginning. You are the heir apparent to the toads.**

Naruto bowed at his waist and dusted off the seat of his pants.

"I am honored that you think so highly of me that you would want me as your summoner, but I am tired of people telling me that it is my destiny to do things. I will give your offer consideration. I am going to find my sensei now and begin my training under her. I would appreciate it if you would not follow me anymore. Good day to you all."

Naruto shunshin-ed away from the area and Jiraiya let out a heavy sigh. This had not gone as he had planned. He looked up when he heard Fukasaku chuckling. The old toad motioned to one of the younger ones and it took off in Naruto's direction.

"What's so funny, Elder? This was a complete disaster."

Fukasaku finished his chuckling and gave a hacking cough, clearing his throat.

**A disaster? Oh no, Jiraiya-chan. This was quite an eye-opener. Even if all this hadn't been preordained, then I would still want that boy as our summoner. He's the only logical choice.**

"I fail to see your logic in any of this."

**Of course you would. You haven't been around as long as I have. We're going to offer that boy something he's never had before though. An unconditional friend, one who seeks him out.**

Jiraiya quirked an eyebrow and looked out to where the young toad had hopped away.

"So…that's why _he_ was here."

Fukasaku nodded and began to laugh again, as did the rest of the toads.

**Mhm. Somewhat nostalgic, isn't it? After all, their parents had such a great relationship…**

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Naruto walked back along the small path to Konoha, his mind in turmoil as he went. The toads wanted him as a summoner. Him! That was a great honor indeed. The Yondaime had been the summoner after Jiraiya and the toads were revered as one of the strongest summons. He had just walked away from one of the noblest summons, telling them that he would _think_ _about it_.

…he must be out of his goddamn mind…and yet…it felt good to tell someone he'd consider it. He'd never had the opportunity before. He could only hope that he hadn't totally messed up his chance.

As Konoha became visible over the horizon, he smiled. His sensei was waiting for him and she would be supremely happy that he had decided to come back to her. No doubt the toads wanted Jiraiya to take him under his wing, but Naruto was loyal to a fault. Kurenai was his sensei, offers be damned. He straightened his back and continued on when he felt something plop onto his head. His eyes swung upward to meet an orange face, with a webbed paw waving at him.

**Hiya! My name's Gamakichi! Pleased to meet ya!**

Naruto blinked and grabbed the little toad by its jacket, holding it in front of him.

"Why were you on top of my head? I told your elder that I didn't want any of you following me."

Gamakichi puffed up in annoyance, which was quite comical given his position.

**Hey, I came on my own! I just wanted to meet you, you know? My dad fought with the Yondaime and you really look like him.**

Naruto brought one of his hands up so that Gamakichi could sit on it and held the toad a few inches from his face.

"You're the son of GamaBunta? But he was huge…you're kind of…shrimpy…"

A wet sound smacked his forehead and he rubbed at the sticky saliva before glaring at the equally annoyed toad. Gamakichi had just hit him with his tongue.

**I'll get big like my dad one day! We toads grow really fast; I'll have you know!**

Naruto chuckled and grinned.

"Then explain the elder…"

**Fukasaku-sama is a special case! Besides, he's powerful enough that he doesn't need to be big. His power comes from within and…his wife is really scary too. They usually fight together…and with each other…**

By this time, Naruto had sat down beside the path with Gamakichi on a stump. The little toad intrigued him.

"Why do the toads want me as their summoner?"

**If you want to know that, you have to accept Fukasaku-sama's offer. That's not for me to say.**

"What if I don't accept the offer? Will you go away?"

**I don't know. We'll just have to see. Until then, I'm going to stick with you. Being here is kind of fun and I've never had a human friend before!**

Naruto blinked and looked at the toad for a moment before shrugging and standing up. Gamakichi watched him as started to walk away.

"You do whatever you like, Gamakichi. I have to go train now."

The blonde took no more than two steps when he felt a familiar weight on his head again and a smiling toad became visible in his field of vision.

**Well, let's go to practice then. Your sensei was really pretty. I bet she likes toads. Probably thinks they're cute. Mmm…maybe she has some candy for me.**

Naruto snickered and walked on. At least with the little toad around he wouldn't be bored. From the bushes behind them, Jiraiya smirked.

'_Gamakichi and Naruto, huh? That'll be a hell of a pair.'_

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Kurenai sat in a dango booth with Anko, fuming over her dismissal by Jiraiya. Her biggest fear at the moment, despite reassurance from Anko that it would not be so, was that Jiraiya would take her student from her. She was only recently a Jounin and her specialty was genjutsu, not Naruto's style at all. Her eyes brightened slightly as she saw her blonde student coming down the street and her heart stopped when she saw what accompanied him.

Naruto strode into the restaurant, called out his order to the chef, and sat down beside Kurenai as he said hello to Anko. The two women stared at him in wonder until Anko's playfulness got the better of her.

"What is that ridiculous appendage growing out of your head?"

Naruto sighed and lifted Gamakichi off his head, setting him on the table. He wasn't going to rise to Anko's baiting. Kurenai's response was immediate.

"Eeewwww! Naruto! Get that filthy thing off this table immediately! You don't know where it's been!"

A 'thwap' was heard throughout the restaurant and Kurenai gingerly touched her forehead, bringing down sticky saliva on her fingers.

**I'm _not_ filthy. And I've changed my opinion of you, lady. You're not nice at all!**

Kurenai grabbed a napkin out of the dispenser on the table and wiped the saliva off her forehead in disgust.

"You…you…you disgusting little frog! How dare you do that!"

**Apologize! I'm not filthy. And I'm a toad, damn it!**

Kurenai was about to squish the toad when hands suddenly enveloped him and Anko crushed him to her chest.

"Awww, isn't he cute? And he can get under Kure-chan's skin as well as I can!"

Naruto simply watched the women carefully as Anko showered Gamakichi with affection and fed him some dango, much to the little toad's delight, while Kurenai growled and continued to rub her forehead, long after the saliva was gone. With a final clenching of her hand in Gamakichi's direction, she turned her attention back to Naruto.

"So, how did it go? I see you came back with a toad. Does that mean that Jiraiya offered to train you?"

Naruto smiled and shook his head.

"No, he didn't offer to train me. The toads want me as their summoner."

Anko dropped Gamakichi onto the table with a thump and Kurenai dropped the glass of tea that had been halfway to her mouth, shattering it on the floor. Naruto's eyes shot from one to the other nervously.

"Was it something I said?"

Kurenai shook her head in disbelief and apologized as the waitress glared at her disapprovingly.

"They want you to be their summoner? What did you say?"

He shrugged and picked at the dango on his plate.

"I said I'd think about it."

Anko reached across the table and smacked Naruto on the forehead.

"You dumbass! Summoning creatures don't usually seek out a summoner! You've been given a great honor and you said you'd _think about it_? Are you _insane_?"

**I like her. She's got a good head on her shoulders. Pop would probably like her too.**

Anko looked down at the little toad with curiosity.

"Who's your father?"

**GamaBunta.**

"Scratch that, Naruto. You're not insane, you're suicidal. And why is the son of GamaBunta traveling around with this idiot?"

**I'm here to hang out with Naruto. I've never had a human friend before.**

Kurenai ignored the two once more, even though having the son of the famous summon was a little unsettling, and took a deep breath.

"Naruto, we'll start training tomorrow. Today has been a large tax on my patience, having to deal with a rude pervert and then Anko…and your little toad friend as well. I'll meet you here tomorrow, at seven sharp. I'd suggest you tell the Hokage about this little development."

Naruto frowned as Kurenai began to stand and grabbed her arm, motioning for her to sit for a moment more.

"I'm sure he already knows. He always knows."

"He doesn't know everything, Naruto. Sometimes it's best to tell him yourself."

He nodded and his face suddenly became grim.

"Which of you decided that Hinata-chan and I needed a little 'motivation' during the exam?"

Anko grinned and bounced in her seat.

"Ooooh, ooooh, that'd be me!"

Her only warning was the clenching of Naruto's teeth and she barely swept Gamakichi off the table before Naruto's knife was imbedded in the wood, right where the toad had sat. She blinked in surprise when he growled at her.

"Don't _ever_ interfere in a match of mine again, sensei. _Ever._"

Anko tightened her lips and gave him a short, concise nod. She knew he'd be upset if he found out, but hadn't expected a threat. Perhaps she'd given him too little credit…he _could_ show a ruthless side after all…

Kurenai watched as he took the knife back and sheathed it before she sighed and reminded him that they were training tomorrow. He waved as she threaded her way into the crowd and turned back to his dango, idly picking at it. Anko stood as well and deposited Gamakichi back onto the table.

"I've gotta go too, kiddo. I've got men to torture and Ibiki to annoy."

Naruto waved as the scantily clad woman meandered off and reached down absently for his dango, only to grasp thin air. He glanced at the table and found Gamakichi wrapping his tongue around the skewer.

**Mmmm-mmm…that was some good stuff. Hey, can you bring me here tomorrow? That dango is delicious.**

"Why are you still here? And who gave you permission to eat_ my_ dango?"

Gamakichi cocked his head and licked his lips.

**I'm here because I want to be your friend. You seem like a cool guy. And your dango was delicious and you weren't eating it. I figured it was fair game.**

Naruto sighed and rose from his chair. He might as well see his grandfather and get it over with. Maybe he'd visit Hinata afterward. That thought brought him back to what Jiraiya had said. He was sure it would be awkward between the two of them for a while, since they'd kind of publicly admitted they liked each other.

It wasn't love, but it was a start.

He started to walk out when that familiar weight appeared on his head again.

"How the hell do you keep getting up there?"

**Hello? I'm a toad. I can jump really high. And your head isn't a bad ride. Your hair is really soft…do you condition it?**

Naruto just growled and kept walking toward the Hokage tower, ignoring the stares from the people along the street, pointing and whispering about Gamakichi. It was going to be a long day.

**Ooohhh, that growl was cool, bro! Do it again!**

…a really long day…

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Sarutobi leaned back in his new, fluffy chair and sighed contentedly. The old one had started to lose some of the padding in it and he just had to replace it. His old bones demanded it. Jiraiya had dropped by early in the morning with the elder toad, Fukasaku, and the two had told him of their plans for Naruto. Sarutobi had said he would leave it up to the boy, seeing as he rarely had a say in what he did. He had watched everything through his scrying globe though.

He was extremely happy to see that Naruto conducted himself with dignity in the face of Jiraiya and Fukasaku, using the lessons and manners that had been hammered into him. He hadn't broken decorum until Jiraiya began to poke and prod at him. As he packed his pipe with a certain cherry flavored tobacco, one he hadn't tried yet, he heard the telltale sound of Naruto speaking with his secretary.

The old man sighed and lit the pipe with a snap of a match, taking a few drags to get the smoke going. His door creaked open and his grandson strode in with a toad atop his blonde mop. He smiled at the sight and decided that he could be cordial if Naruto could be.

"Ah, Naruto. What a pleasant surprise. What brings you here today?"

Naruto felt a twinge of guilt as his grandfather spoke to him in a cheery tone. Several weeks of coldness between them were almost washed away…almost. Youthful spite wouldn't allow it totally though.

"Hokage-sama, I was visited today by Jiraiya-sama and Fukasaku, one of the elder toads of Mt. Myouboku. They want me to become the summoner for the toads. I was seeking your counsel on the matter."

Sarutobi sighed and slumped in his chair slightly. It seemed that Naruto still held a grudge against him. He, however, would take the high ground in this. Grudges could not be held forever, after all.

"This is a matter for you to handle, Naruto. It is most extraordinary for a summon to seek out a summoner. Most summoners sign a contract and then the creature gives them a test to prove their worth. You have a golden opportunity here. I would suggest you not waste it."

Naruto nodded his head and Gamakichi bounced back and forth, drawing Sarutobi's attention.

"And who is your little friend there?"

Naruto scowled and lifted the toad off his head, setting him on the oaken desk.

"He's not my friend. His name is Gamakichi and he's been following me around."

**It's a pleasure to meet you, Hokage-sama. I'm Gamakichi, son of Gamabunta.**

Sarutobi laughed and took a drag on his pipe with a smile.

"Ah, illustrious company you keep, Naruto. The son of the boss of the toads…I do hope the two of you become fast friends."

Naruto felt a grin tugging at his lips, but resisted.

"Well, I guess I won't have a choice but to become friends with him since he won't leave me alone."

"Splendid. I'm sorry, you two, but I have a bit of paperwork to do. And Naruto? Remember that your choices have consequences. Make your decision with care."

The old Hokage winced when his grandson's lip curled up slightly and the boy stood stiffly. That had been the wrong choice of words.

"Hai, I will, Hokage-sama. Good day."

Sarutobi sighed heavily as the door to his office slid shut and he slumped in his chair. The tobacco didn't taste as good as it had now and he knocked his pipe out.

"I always was a better ninja than a politician. Can't even say the right words at the right time to my family…"

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Naruto's next destination before heading home was the hospital. Hinata, as far as he knew, was still admitted due to her concussion. He asked the receptionist for her room number, rolled his eyes as the woman regarded a waving Gamakichi on his head, and strode down the hallway to the stairwell.

**So, is this chick your girlfriend or something?**

"Or something. We're not a couple. I'd like that, but there are certain things she doesn't know about me yet."

He felt Gamakichi nod his head.

**Oooh, okay. You mean the fact that you're a jin…**

The little toad found a hand slapped over his mouth and he was lifted off Naruto's head, nose to nose with a serious blonde.

"I'm serious, Gamakichi. If you want to continue to pal around with me for the time being, then you can't say anything about my…condition. That's a secret and it's not but for those who I want to know. So keep those lips of yours shut."

Gamakichi nodded again and began to squirm in Naruto's grip before the boy realized he'd cut off the toad's air supply. A large gulp of air was sucked in when his hand was removed and Gamakichi glared at him.

**All right, all right. I'll keep you secret. You didn't have to try to kill me.**

"You're becoming more trouble than you're worth. Maybe I should dump you in the pool outside the hospital."

**No way! I wanna meet your girlfriend.**

Naruto stopped in front of the door to Hinata's room and looked up through his strands of hair, to see Gamakichi looking down.

"She's not my girlfriend. We wanted to try to date, but her father put the kibosh on that until we're older. So we have to wait."

**Aww, that sucks. Why not date another girl then? Think of it as practice.**

Naruto threw his arms in the air in a huff.

"Because that's not how I do things! Now hush. Come to think of it, why did I even agree to let you tag along with me?"

He could feel Gamakichi grin even though he couldn't see him.

**Because you think I'm interesting and that it might be fun to have me around.**

The boy quirked an eyebrow and frowned.

"I'm pretty sure that I didn't say that out loud."

**You're surprisingly easy to read at times.**

"Whatever. Be quiet while I talk to Hinata-chan."

He took a deep breath and slid the door open. He could only hope that she wasn't mad at him.

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Hinata had been sitting up in bed, reading a book while taking the required one-day's rest from a concussion. The medic-nin had patched her up extremely well and she wouldn't have to stay the usual week, which she was glad for. Her father hadn't been too upset with her performance when she told him who she had fought, but he had still been disappointed, surprisingly in both of them.

"_The two of you were acting like children. That has no place in the world of ninja. You both come from noble families…it's time you both acted like it."_

While that had been the only reproach from him, it had still stung. Yes, they both could have done better…but the situation was an awkward one. She hadn't wanted to hurt him and if it hadn't been for that genjutsu, she doubted they would have fought at all. She didn't know who cast the thing, but it had gotten the desired effect. They had fought, although she was left with a feeling of doubt, like Naruto still hadn't gone all out.

She pursed her lips and sat the book down, looking out the window. A bird flew by and circled back to land on the windowsill. Hinata smiled and apologized to the creature for not having any crumbs or crackers at the moment to feed it. The bird cocked its head to the side and flew away when it heard voices outside her door.

Hinata smiled when she heard Naruto's voice, but she couldn't recognize the second one. It was a little more high-pitched than anyone their age…perhaps it was Konohamaru tagging along behind his older brother again? The door slid open and Naruto stood there with a very…orange…hat on his head…and it was waving at her.

Hinata took one good look at the toad on Naruto's head and her hand flew to her mouth, covering up the giggles that threatened to spill forth. Naruto rolled his eyes and slid the door shut behind him.

"Yeah, yeah, get it out of your system. I've been getting laughed at all day because of him."

Hinata took a deep breath and looked away to calm herself, but as soon as she looked at Naruto again and caught Gamakichi sticking his tongue out at her, she burst into another giggle fit. Naruto sighed and took Gamakichi off his head, sitting him on the soft bed comforter.

"Whatever it is you're doing, stop it. Laughing like that can't be good for her when she has a concussion."

Hinata finally stopped her laughter and smiled at him.

"No, no, I'm fine. I'm just resting for today. How are you, Naruto-kun? And who is your little friend?"

The little toad hopped into Hinata's lap and waved his webbed foot again.

**I'm Gamakichi, son of Gamabunta. I'm here to be Naruto's new friend.**

Hinata blinked and cocked her head to one side as she stared at Naruto.

"So you can summon the toads now?"

He shook his head.

"No, but they want me to. I haven't decided yet whether or not I want to be their summoner."

Hinata picked up on his agitation and dropped the subject, switching to another one.

"That was extremely sneaky what you did with that clone. I couldn't even see it with the Byakugan. How did you do that?"

Naruto grinned and leaned in, cupping his hand to Hinata's ear.

"Kekkei genkai. I have one too, you know."

Her eyes threatened to jump from her head.

"Show me."

Naruto grinned and Hinata and Gamakichi watched as he began to sink into the floor. Hinata looked around the room.

"Is that your kekkei genkai? Disappearing?"

Naruto's disembodied voice floated through the air.

"Not disappearing. Melting. I can melt into any substance except liquids. I can move through them pretty fast too."

She watched in awe as he popped up in various places around the room, grinning the whole time, before he appeared back in his chair. Gamakichi hopped onto his head again and waited for Hinata to come back to reality. Her Byakugan had been activated when he said he could melt into the substance. To her surprise, she couldn't see him. It was like he was never there. But as soon as he began to appear in places, she could see the parts of his body that were visible.

"How…how are you doing that?"

Naruto's grin widened as he rubbed the back of his head.

"I dunno. I just can. It's pretty cool, huh? The Byakugan can't track me unless I'm above ground and neither can the Sharingan. Jiji had both clans check while the Uchiha were still around."

"How long have you had this?"

"Since I was five."

She frowned and he knew he had said something wrong.

"Why didn't I know about this?"

Naruto twitched a bit under her gaze and looked away.

"I didn't tell anyone about it until I got on team. Kiba and Ino are the only ones our age who know. Now you know. But please, don't tell anyone. It'll come out during the exam finals. I'm going to have to go all out. I can't afford to play around anymore."

Hinata nodded and focused on her lap.

"That match we had was pitiful wasn't it?"

Naruto sighed and gave her a small smile.

"It wasn't our best, no. But we did try. I saw Jiraiya-sama earlier today…"

"You saw Jiraiya-sama? The Toad Sennin?"

"…yeah. He told me that what we did could have insulted our families. I'd never thought about it, but he was right. I just didn't want to hurt you."

Hinata bit her lip.

"Don't blame yourself. I was holding back too. I'm ashamed of myself, really. If you had used your kekkei genkai, you would've had me immediately."

"Not really. Once you saw me come above ground with your Byakugan, you could have clobbered me. There are several disadvantages to my melting."

"Well, the Byakugan has some disadvantages too."

Naruto nodded his head. His grandfather had told him that everything has an inherent weakness, no matter how small it may be. He knew that all too well with his power. He was just about to excuse himself and go home when Hinata touched his arm.

"Did you…did you mean it when you said that you liked me?"

Naruto felt his face heat up and felt Gamakichi shaking from holding in his laughter. He decided that he wouldn't be the only embarrassed one and turned the question back on her.

"Did you?"

She turned beet red and pulled her arm away, nodding her head as she did. Naruto smiled and stood up.

"Yeah…I meant it too. Hey, when you get out of here, let's go to dinner. I'm sure that there are several things we have to discuss. I should be training with Kurenai-sensei during the day."

Hinata gave him a nervous smile and nodded her head as she watched him walk to the door. Naruto gave her a grin as he left, never seeing Gamakichi give her the thumbs up while wiggling the pinky of his webbed front foot.

"Bye, Hinata-chan. I'll see you later."

**It was nice meeting you! Hope to see you again!**

The door slid shut with a click and Hinata flopped back onto her pillow. Her life only seemed to get more and more complicated the more she hung around the blonde…but she wouldn't trade him for anything. Her father's words echoed in her mind from earlier.

"_I heard about yours and Naruto's little confessions in the heat of battle. While I understand that emotions run high in those situations, that was most unprofessional on both of your parts. You are thirteen, Hinata, and not yet ready for such things."_

"_But, I only said that I like him. I never said I loved him. There's a difference, father."_

_Hiashi had simply sighed and shook his head._

"_My first girlfriend and I thought we were in love, you know. But in the end, it was simply puppy love, a silly crush. I was fourteen when I met her. I met your mother when I was nineteen. I _knew_ I loved her. Don't let adolescence and youth rule your emotions, Hinata. You and Naruto make quite a pair, which is true. To Eri-san, the two of you are even 'cute'. But you don't know what the future holds. All I ask is that you keep your options open and look to the future."_

"_Hai, father. I shall."_

She sighed and ruffled her face into her pillow.

"When did life become so complicated?"

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Naruto let out a deep breath as he walked out of the hospital's main doors. He'd been visiting there a lot lately. He shook his head to get rid of the thoughts and heard Gamakichi squeal and hold on desperately. He smirked as the little toad clambered back onto his mop of hair and gripped it painfully tight.

**What the hell was that for, man? You almost threw me off.**

"Hmmm? Oh, I forgot you were up there. Sorry."

Gamakichi croaked loudly and Naruto found himself on the end of another tongue smacking on his forehead again.

**That wasn't funny. You're not supposed to treat friends like that.**

Naruto quirked an eyebrow at the diminutive toad as he rubbed his forehead.

"We've only just met. How can you keep calling me your friend?"

…**you don't want me to be your friend?**

Naruto frowned. He didn't know if the toad was being manipulative or if he was genuinely hurt.

"I didn't say that. I wanted to know why you keep calling me your friend."

**Why wouldn't you be?**

"I might not accept the contract."

Naruto couldn't see it, but Gamakichi grinned knowingly.

**Maybe…but that doesn't mean we can't be friends, right?**

Naruto 'hmm'ed and kept walking toward his house.

"I guess not. But we'll just have to see how it goes. Hope you've liked what you've seen of my family when you were watching me because now you get to meet them."

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Naruto stepped into his home and shut the door behind him. Immediately, he heard the voice of his mother.

"Naruto? Could you come in here please? There's someone here to see you."

He pondered on who it could be as he poked his head around the corner. He nearly growled when he did. There, sipping tea with his parents, sat Jiraiya.

He didn't want to put up with the man at the moment. In fact, he'd thought this morning that it would be the last time he'd see him for quite a while. Jiraiya smiled at him and raised his teacup in greeting. His mother turned in her chair to greet him, but her smile fell when she saw Gamakichi.

"Uzumaki Naruto! Get that thing off your head! You don't know where it's been!"

Gamakichi puffed up indignantly, but Naruto grabbed him and slapped a hand over his mouth before he could hit his mother between the eyes with his tongue. The little toad seemed to be hurling muffled curses at Eri before he finally calmed down. Jiraiya took another sip of tea and grinned.

"Eri-san, that wasn't very nice. Besides, that's the son of GamaBunta you just insulted."

"I don't care if he's the son of Kami, I don't want him riding on my son's head."

Gamakichi, now held in Naruto's arms, looked up at his self-proclaimed friend.

**Your mom's scary, bro. She's like that Kurenai lady.**

Eri smirked and took a quick sip of tea.

"I happen to like Kurenai. She's got a good head on her shoulders. Now then, Naruto, sit down and join us."

The blonde sat down, Gamakichi in his lap, holding the arms of the chair tight. He waved off the offer of tea from his mother and swung his eyes from one to the other.

"Why is he here?"

Eri scowled at him and narrowed her eyes.

"Naruto, you will be polite to our guest. Jiraiya-sama has told me what happened this morning and I am upset with your behavior."

Naruto set his jaw. It wasn't often he spoke up against his parents, but he was tired of always being on the defensive.

"He insulted Kurenai-sensei and belittled me and Hinata-chan's match. I couldn't stand for that. Besides that, he and the toads just expect me to be their summoner."

Jiraiya took another sip of tea, not looking at either mother or son as he feigned disinterest.

"It's a great honor, you know."

Naruto rounded on the older man.

"I didn't ask you. I'm tired of everyone making decisions for me. I'm tired of my life always being decided for me. And I'm tired of being critiqued on everything that has to do with no one but _me_. You want me to summon toads? I said I'll think about it and I'm leaving it at that. End of discussion. You want me to be serious? Fine, I'll be serious. In the finals, I'll show all of you what I can do. You want to see talent? You want to see my pedigree? I'll show you my goddamn pedigree!"

Naruto sank into the floor after his diatribe. Eri shouted after him.

"You will not use that kind of language in my house!"

A bellowing laughter from Jiraiya brought her eyes back to where he sat and she blushed in embarrassment.

"Jiraiya-sama, I am so sorry for his behavior. I'll talk with him when he comes back."

Jiraiya stopped laughing and picked up his teacup, still wearing a blinding smile.

"Don't. He's just upset because of all the excitement. Give him some time to calm down."

He turned his eyes to Gamakichi, who was sipping tea out of Naruto's glass that Eri had poured for him.

"Well, Gamakichi, what do you think?"

The toad grinned at Eri and Jiraiya, slurping his tongue around his lips.

**He'll definitely do. Pop will be pleased when he finally comes around. I guess I'd better go find him before he does something drastic.**

Eri watched the little toad hop out a window that Jiraiya opened for him and he disappeared into the night. When the Toad Sennin took his seat again, she calmly locked eyes with him.

"Be honest with me, Jiraiya-sama. What do you want with my son?"

Jiraiya smiled and rose from his seat.

"I want nothing but good things for him. The toads want nothing but good things for him. His destiny will become clear in time. And eventually, he'll have what he's always wanted."

"And what has he always wanted?"

Jiraiya looked out the window to the beautiful grounds of the Sarutobi manor.

"To make his own decisions. To show the world that he is Uzumaki Naruto and not a shadow of the Sandaime Hokage or the legacy of the Yondaime. To show he's more than a jinchuuriki. Very soon, he'll be able to show that he has his own identity…and it will start when he _chooses_ to be the toad summoner."

He sipped at his tea again and looked at a family picture that was hung on the wall.

"It's been preordained by the Great Elder Toad of Mt. Myouboku that Naruto would be their next summoner. Just as it's been said that he would come to them on his own time. Fukasaku just wanted to make their presence known. Personally, I think it was a little hasty…but, then again, I'm not a seer."

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Naruto had fled to one of his favorite spots to think, a pond just on the outskirts of the village. He sat in a tree above the water, his legs swinging on either side of a branch. Why did it seem like his life was heading on a collision to disaster now, of all times? He grabbed his head in frustration and pulled slightly on his hair. He hated this.

He let out a long sigh and looked up to the sky. The stars were just starting to show in the darkening sky. He'd been out a while and he wasn't going to go home tonight. He'd just meet Kurenai-sensei in the morning. He was getting thirsty though. As he walked down the tree, he thought of all that had happened in the past few weeks.

Going into the exams. Outwitting Ibiki. Putting up with Anko. Fighting with Sasuke. Fighting with Hinata. Meeting Jiraiya. Meeting the toads. Being offered the honor of being their summoner. Meeting Gamakichi, who seemed ecstatic to hang around him.

He sighed again. After hanging around with the little toad all day, he kind of missed the little bugger now. His company would be appreciated. He reached the water's edge and knelt down, cupping his hands to get a drink. The water was cool and sweet and felt nice sliding down his throat. He went in for another dip and noticed that his reflection looked funny.

He blinked and waited for the water to still again. When it did, he gazed harder at his reflection. Last time he'd looked, he didn't have red hair with black streaks…or red eyes…or that ominous smile. He bent down a little closer to get a better look when the reflection moved on its own.

**BOO!**

Naruto screamed and jumped straight into the air, latching onto a branch above the pond. He could hear the laughter of the Kyuubi in his head as he clung to the branch.

**Told you I'd see you soon…boy.**

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Gamakichi heard the bloodcurdling scream and immediately began hopping in Naruto's direction. He knew he should have kept up with the boy. He was a magnet for trouble. Gamakichi fretted as he hopped at an accelerated pace.

'_**Oh man, what'll Pop think?'**_

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Jiraiya, who had been on his way to the hot springs, heard the scream and took off, recognizing it as Naruto. Fearing the worst, he ran faster than he had in years. One though flashed through his mind.

'_What if it's the Kyuubi?'_

Another thought came to him.

'_What if it isn't?'_

**Well, there it is. Remember to read the rant. Let me know what you think.**


	26. Reflection

I return. That month turned out to be shorter than I had planned, what with introducing the two pilots and ending Bring the Hammer Down. But, I'm back, nonetheless, and I hope that some of you are still reading. Here's Chapter 26. Enjoy. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...**Rise Above**_ by Adema._

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX**

Naruto let go of the branch he'd been holding onto and lightly landed on the soft grass by the pond. He slowly crawled back over to the edge and peered over again, his teeth bared when he saw the Kyuubi's grinning reflection again.

"You bastard! What did you do to me? Is this how I look now? A reflection of _you_?"

The Kyuubi threw his head back and guffawed loudly. He only quieted down when Naruto swiped at the water, causing his image to distort.

**Stop that. Of course you don't look like me, you idiot. When I started laughing, did you? No. This is merely another way I've found to communicate with you. Having you meet me halfway in the seal is so…time-consuming…and wholly cumbersome. This way, I'm always at your beck and call, just as you are at mine.**

Naruto frowned and clenched his fists.

"So, what? I'm never gonna see my own reflection again?"

The Kyuubi sighed and rolled its eyes.

**Stupid, vain child, only worried about the aesthetics. Fine. If you require proof, here.**

The Kyuubi's image faded away, leaving Naruto's face gazing back at him in wonder. He put his hands to his cheeks, watching as his reflection did the same. A tug on his upper lip revealed his fangs and he grinned. At least he was still himself. As suddenly as he'd gone away though, the Kyuubi's image was back.

**There, see? No harm done. And here you were screaming like a little girl. Pathetic. **

"I didn't ask you. Is this another one of your attempts to come back into this world? I won't let you esacpe."

The Kyuubi sighed, a hand going to his chin, stroking it thoughtfully.

**I know that, boy. I know that. I can't escape. I have not found the means to and, believe it or not, I don't have the courage to try yet. Besides, being inside you is a constant amusement to one such as I. **

Naruto growled and fisted some grass in his hands.

"I hate you. I just want you to know that."

The Kyuubi sighed again before smirking and folding its arms.

**I know that too. It doesn't make you any less amusing though.**

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Jiraiya and Gamakichi stood behind a tree not far off, watching as Naruto dropped from the tree and began to speak into the water. Every word was conveyed to them clearly and Jiraiya scooped Gamakichi up, holding him close to whisper.

"I want you to stick with him from now on. Something is going on. Get in there and find out what it is. Be a friend to him, Gamakichi. He needs one now."

The little toad nodded, watching as Naruto felt on his cheeks.

**Do you think his mind has finally snapped?**

Jiraiya shook his head and lowered Gamakichi slightly.

"No, he's not crazy. I think his convict is having a conversation with him. Whatever it said pissed him off pretty good though. Now get in there and be a pal."

Gamakichi swung his head back to Naruto, noticing his fists clenching and then back to Jiraiya.

**How am I going to approach him? He seems kind of angry…**

He squeaked when Jiraiya hefted him like a baseball and threw him towards Naruto's head, the small toad squealing the whole way.

'_Sorry, Gamakichi. Your role is to be his friend. Mine is to be a guide. I can't always supply answers for both of you.'_

With that, Jiraiya ducked back around the tree and moved to a different position to watch the events unfold.

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Naruto was just about to yell obscenities at the Kyuubi when something impacted with the back of his head, sending him into the water headfirst. He scrambled back to the surface, gasping for air, and crawled back onto the bank, thoroughly soaked. He stiffened when he felt a familiar weight on his head and closed his eyes.

"Gamakichi?"

The little toad croaked and leaned over to look at the boy's face.

**Yeah, bro?**

"Why are you on my head and why did you feel the need to throw me into the water?"

**Um, you looked preoccupied and I was in a hurry…it was an accident?**

Naruto sighed and rose back to his feet. He took Gamakichi off of his shoulders and peeled his shirt off, wringing it out with a grimace. He took the soggy clothing and draped it around his neck, looking back down at Gamakichi.

"It's…okay. It's fine. Actually, your being here is a blessing at the moment. It'll tell me if I'm going crazy or not."

**Um…okay?**

Naruto picked the little toad up again and placed him back on top of his head. Turning back to the water, he waited for the ripples to stop and for the pond to become still again. When it had stilled, he leaned back over the edge, gazing into the Kyuubi's amused face again. The only difference was that the Kyuubi had a Gamakichi on its head as well. Naruto looked up at the orange toad hopefully.

"Just look into the water and tell me what you see?"

Gamakichi squinted and peered over the nest of hair. He couldn't see anything but Naruto and himself.

**Just you and me, bro. Nothing else there.**

Naruto sighed as the Kyuubi made all manner of faces at him, wiggling its fingers behind its ears and pretending to punch the toad atop its own head. Naruto straightened back up and began to walk back towards his house.

"That's what I thought. Only I can see him."

**See who, bro?**

Naruto glanced up again and grunted.

"Who do you think? The bastard has figured out a way to replace my reflection with his, but only I can see it apparently. I'll need you to keep this a secret, Gamakichi. I don't want anyone else knowing about this."

Gamakichi nodded his head and leaned over to look into Naruto's eyes again.

**I'm keeping a secret for you. Does that mean we're friends now?**

Naruto gave the toad a small smile.

"If that's what you want, Gamakichi, I'll try to be your friend. Let's go. I need to rest for tomorrow."

**What happens tomorrow?**

Naruto twirled his wet shirt as they headed towards his house.

"I start training to beat three certain people. Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuuga Neji, and Sabaku no Gaara."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto had snuck into the house through the window and had woken up very early in the morning. He was surprised to see that Gamakichi was still there, having expected him to go back to wherever summons go, but the little toad just shrugged.

**My chakra is still full and as long as it's full, I don't need to return.**

"I'd just always assumed that summons couldn't stay where they were summoned for too long."

**We can do anything as long as we have enough chakra, just like humans. We only return to the mountain when we're out of chakra. That's all.**

Naruto nodded and got dressed quickly, before his family knew he was home. After throwing his clothes on hastily, he exited through the window and began to make his way to the dango stand. It was still dark out and he'd have to wait a while, but that was fine by him. It would give him time to gather his thoughts.

Gamakichi yawned and nestled further into his hair. It was entirely too early in the morning for the young toad and the fact that Naruto had insisted that they be on the road before daylight irked him mightily. He decided that he would catch a few more winks while Naruto trotted down the road at a leisurely pace. Before long, they had arrived at the dango shop.

Naruto looked at the board on the outside of the shop. It wouldn't open until eight o'clock. He nudged the snoozing toad on his head with a finger.

"Hey. Wake up. I'm going to do some training while we wait."

Gamakichi groggily sat up and rubbed his large eyes.

**Whatcha gonna do?**

Naruto grabbed him by his vest and walked up the side of the building. Gamakichi blinked and watched as the boy sat down crosslegged above the door. The blonde then reached around behind his back, setting the small toad down on his back before assuming the Lotus position.

"I'm gonna meditate while we wait on Kurenai-sensei. You can go back to your nap now."

Gamakichi grunted and sat down on his haunches on Naruto's horizontal back. He could feel the boy's breathing even out. He decided that he might as well get some meditating in too. He brought his stubby fingers together and closed his eyes, concentrating on feeling the world around him. His breathing shortened as well and the world fell into a silent symphony.

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The owner of the shop wandered in around seven o'clock, just as the sun was peeking over the horizon. He stood underneath Naruto, taking in the boy's serene gaze, before sighing and unlocking the door. He had other things to do than worry about the Hokage's grandson setting up shop above his entranceway.

Kurenai ambled down the street at a leisurely pace. She was supremely happy that her student had chosen her over Jiraiya, even if she acknowledged that he would probably be the better teacher for Naruto, given his skills versus hers. After all, her strength lay in illusions and control. Naruto's and Jiraiya's lay in physical strength and the ability to throw chakra around like it was candy at a parade. She could only hope that she could help.

As she rounded the corner to the dango shop, she noticed an odd lump above the doorway. Walking closer, she realized the lump was her student, sitting on the side of the building, his eyes closed. Suppressing a giggle, she crept closer and stood underneath him, looking straight up into his closed eyes.

Kurenai studied her young pupil closely. It still amazed her how much he had changed in the recent months. His craggy whiskers seemed to crawl across his face like canyons. She cocked her head to the side and looked at his teeth, barely protruding over his bottom lip. A giggle tried to escape but she squashed it. It was true what his father had said. He did look like a vampire.

Kurenai was not known for joking around or playing pranks. She was straight-laced to a fault, as many of her friends could attest to. But being around Naruto, Kiba, and Ino had loosened her up quite a bit. She was not above doing things outside the norm. She waved her hand in front of Naruto's face several times to see if he was aware. When she got no response, she grinned and reached into her pouch.

Naruto more than likely had felt the familiarity of her chakra signature and chose to ignore it on a subconscious level. He more than likely expected his normally calm and cool sensei to announce her arrival. He more than likely was totally at peace.

Kurenai decided she could be spontaneous at times too. With a soft pop, she took the cap off of a marker and swiftly drew all over Naruto's face. With the same soft pop, the cap was back on, leaving the black-haired beauty to admire her handiwork. She had taken his darkened whiskers and drawn them out into lightning bolt tattoos all over his face.

**He's not gonna be happy that you did that, lady.**

Kurenai leaned around Naruto's body to find Gamakichi looking back at her unhappily. She frowned at the little toad and narrowed her eyes.

"Gamakichi."

**Kurenai-san.**

"If you keep quiet about this, I'll buy you dango."

**You said I was an ugly little frog.**

Kurenai's frown deepened and she cut her eyes to Naruto's still face.

"I apologize. That was rude of me. We started out on the wrong foot."

Gamakichi turned his head slightly to the side, observing Kurenai out of the corner of his eyes. He didn't really dislike the woman. He just didn't like her comments regarding him. She was normally very fair. The little toad nodded slowly.

**You'll stop calling me a frog?**

A nod was his answer.

**No more calling me disgusting?**

Another nod.

**I accept your apology. I want four plates of dango.**

Kurenai blinked and picked the little toad up off Naruto's back. She jiggled him slightly, causing Gamakichi to squeak. Neither noticed Naruto's eyes pop open nor the questioning look he gave the two of them.

"You don't even weigh as much as four plates of dango. How could you possibly eat that much?"

**I expand. **

The crunch of gravel behind them heralded Naruto's descent from the wall. Kurenai turned to face him, Gamakichi held in her arms.

"Good morning, Naruto."

"Good morning, sensei."

He grinned at her and Kurenai's cheeks puffed out from trying to hold in her laugher. Gamakichi had no compunctions. His whole body puffed up in mirth and he pointed at Naruto.

**Bwah ha ha! You look ridiculous!**

Naruto's growl cut through the morning air and he sneered at the little toad and his sensei.

"Well, I didn't look ridiculous earlier. What's so ridiculous about me?"

Neither would tell him, wrapped up as they were in their laughter, so he turned his attention to a nearby window. He was surprised when the Kyuubi didn't appear in the glass and gasped at his reflection. His hands tightened into balls with great force as he rubbed at the ink. His frustration grew even more when the Kyuubi's grinning face came into play.

**You _do_ look ridiculous, you know. Actually, I like the new look. It's totally you.**

'_Shut up. I don't need your shit right now.'_

**You're such a drama queen.**

Naruto turned around to his sensei and the toad with his eyes closed.

"I'm only going to ask once, sensei. Why, oh why, did you feel the need to start off our month with a prank?"

Kurenai put a finger to her chin in thought.

"I don't know. It was just spur of the moment. It was…fun."

A tired sigh was her answer as Naruto brushed past her and into the shop.

"Place an order for me please, sensei. I'm going to wash off this marker."

Kurenai watched her student disappear behind a door and sat down at a table, placing an order for several of the sweet dishes. She didn't normally eat something this sweet in the morning, but she thought she could use the energy boost. The plates were laid before her and she watched as Gamakichi began to destroy them one by one. Naruto emerged from the bathroom soon after and flopped down into his chair.

Kurenai observed the boy as he picked up a stick of dango, popping Gamakichi when the little toad reached for the same stick. It was almost like he was normal for a moment…

…but Uzumaki Naruto was never a normal child…

"Naruto, we need to discuss what we're going to work on. A month is very short and your opponents are all elite."

The blonde bit off the red dango and chewed it slowly, washing it down with a glass of hot tea. His look became serious as he stared at his teacher.

"I know. I want to work on my kekkei genkai."

Kurenai quirked a delicate eyebrow and folded her hands on top of each other.

"Why just your kekkei genkai? Why not all areas?"

"Because I've been neglecting it. I mean, sure, we practice with it sometimes, but it's vital to my career as a ninja and vital to my future. I'm an assassin, sensei. I was born to be one. I might not like the things that Jiraiya-sama said to me the other night, but he was right. I've been pathetic. I'm better than this."

Kurenai bowed her head a little. She could be to blame as well as him for that. After all, she'd forbidden him from using it in spars. Well, after this, that may not be a problem, especially if he made Chuunin.

"Well, we'll have to fix that. Once we're finished here, we'll begin. We'll start with working on your speed between objects and what you can do when you come above ground."

Naruto nodded and reached for another piece of dango, only for his hand to hit an empty plate. He looked down at Gamakichi, who lay on his back, his belly distended. Naruto growled and shook the little toad.

"You little shit! You weren't supposed to eat all of that!"

Gamakichi burped and groaned.

**My tummy hurts…**

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

At their training grounds, Kurenai instructed Naruto to create several clones. He did and she instructed them to fan out, but not to go past the red ribbons. Once they were scattered, she turned her attention to the original.

"The point of this exercise is to catch your clones and dispatch them as quickly as possible. The red ribbon encircles the area and is the size of the arena. You will be timed on how fast you accomplish your goal."

She held up a stopwatch and Naruto tensed. With a click, she started the timer.

"Go!"

Naruto melted into the ground immediately. Within seconds, she heard one clone scream. Gamakichi bobbed his head and looked up at her.

**He's pretty good.**

Kurenai nodded as another clone grunted, its voice echoing from the forest.

"Yes, he is. But he could be better. This is to sharpen his skill with this. With that kekkei genkai, he'll be unbeatable to the other genin."

Gamakichi snorted and hopped slightly when a clone came skidding into the area, bursting from existence when it finally stopped.

**No one is unbeatable. Liquids are his weakness, don't forget that.**

Kurenai nodded and the two became silent again as another clone went up in smoke.

**What do you think are the chances of him accepting the toads?**

Kurenai glanced at the watch. Already over two minutes.

"I don't know. He didn't really seem all that interested in the toad contract."

**That's not what I asked.**

She gave the toad a queer look and furrowed her brow.

"Then what did you ask?"

**I asked if you think he'll accept the toads. We've already accepted him. That contract is just a piece of paper. Nothing else. It's not like we're asking him to give up an organ.**

"I don't know if he'll accept or not. Truthfully, I'd hope he would. Naruto never has had many choices that he could make on his own that didn't have a set multiple choice or no choice at all. Didn't your Elder basically tell him he was your new summoner?"

Gamakichi nodded his stubby head.

**Yeah, because he is. There is no other but Naruto. He's our summoner, our brother. He might as well be a toad, because we've accepted him. We've watched him since he was little, watched everything. He _is_ the toad summoner. He just has to accept his role.**

The two watched as Naruto and a clone crashed from the bushes, landing right in front of them. The clone struggled for a bit as they skidded along the ground with the original on top of him before a knife slash across the throat ended the struggle. Kurenai pushed the stopper and shook her head.

"Four minutes. Not nearly good enough. Do it again."

So went the training for that day.

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The first week, every day was like that first. Naruto would increase his pace every day, killing more and more clones in less and less time. But, as Kurenai pointed out, if it was Neji, then he'd be found out before he could strike. If it was Gaara, he'd never get that close. If it was Sasuke, he wouldn't go down that easily.

So week two had been focused on approaching at different points. Using different strategies to come at the enemy. Of course, without the real thing, the guinea pig clones weren't much help, but it was a start. He'd always been better at improvisation anyway.

Kurenai watched as Naruto would erupt from the ground like a marlin, slash at a throat or whatever was available, and then disappear into the earth again. It was entrancing to just sit and watch. His clones would always try to dodge, roll away, fight back. It didn't matter. Eventually, he would kill them and they would disappear.

He had taken to doing silly things when he would pop out of the ground that made Kurenai groan. Gai had shown him once upon a time that certain moves in professional wrestling could actually be dangerous. Out of boredom, he had begun to use unorthodox moves. His favorite so far was one he had seen called the pele.

After one more time of his foot crashing down onto the back of a clone's neck, Kurenai finally snapped.

"Naruto! Stop using those silly moves! Be serious and actually train!"

He turned to her and grinned before slowly melting into the earth. Kurenai knew that look and she was immediately on guard. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end and she dashed across the training ground, leaving Gamakichi sitting there blinking. Kurenai stopped several yards away and spun around, watching as Naruto's shoulders melted out of the ground.

"Aw shucks, sensei. I can't get you if you don't hold still. Guess I'll have to try harder."

He slowly melted back into the earth and Kurenai tensed. Now she knew why Anko always insisted on him using that power. It increased her awareness, made her edgy and paranoid. Kurenai shivered as she waited. It was a feeling she hadn't had in quite a while. The anxiousness of fun, like a game of tag. She slowed her breathing and waited for a sign. Sure enough, a faint chakra signature let her know that Naruto was sneaking up on her.

In the heat of battle, she wouldn't have had that luxury. She leapt away and threw a kunai at the hand that protruded from the patch of grass behind her. Another hand flashed and knocked away the incoming missile with a large field knife and the two slowly sank into the earth again.

"You know, sensei, I'm being nice here. You won't get such a warning next time."

Despite her status as a cool, composed character, Kurenai grinned and waved her hand in a beckoning motion, knowing he would see it.

"Bring it on."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

So went the rest of their training. Naruto refamiliarized himself with his kekkei genkai and was about as ready as he could be. With a week left before the finals, he expected to work up until the day before. As he entered their training grounds, however, he found Kurenai and Anko too. He was immediately on guard.

Anko waved at him like a maniac and Kurenai pinched the bridge of her nose. She didn't know how this conversation was going to turn out.

"Good morning, Naruto."

"Morning, brat."

"Good morning."

He stopped right in front of both of them, looking from one to the other.

"Um…why are you both here?"

Kurenai coughed into her hand and cleared her throat.

"We've been training for three weeks now, Naruto. We've done all we can with your kekkei genkai to the best of our knowledge. The rest of the week is yours to do with as you please."

He started to protest but Anko shushed him.

"No, listen. You need to rest. We know that you heal quickly, but sometimes natural rest is the best. Besides, we have a task for you to perform before the exams."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow.

"And that would be?"

Anko grinned and put a hand on her hip.

"Talk to the toads. You've been putting it off ever since that day."

Naruto frowned at her and crossed his arms.

"I have not. I've just been…considering their offer. I'm going to talk to them after the exam."

Anko and Kurenai both scowled and Kurenai leaned forward a bit.

"Naruto…the toads are giving you a choice to come to them. They're not forcing you. They will not accept anyone but you. That's why your decision carries so much weight. This isn't like one of your grandfather's tests for you. This isn't about the village or your duty to it. This is just about you."

Anko nodded and summoned a snake, one of her favorites. It flipped its tongue out and Naruto flinched. He could feel Gamakichi shudder from atop his head. He'd almost forgotten that the toad was there.

"Summons are not just weapons, Naruto. They are companions and lifelong comrades. Look at how well you and Gamakichi have taken to each other over such a short period of time."

Naruto sighed and lowered his head a bit.

"I just don't know. It always seems like things are decided for me. Maybe I don't want the contract."

Anko smacked the boy on top of the head, Gamakichi leaping off just before her hand touched down.

"Stop being stupid! This is a golden opportunity. Don't waste it."

"Maybe I _want_ to waste it! I'd like to fail on my own every now and then, you know!"

Kurenai spoke in an even voice.

"Naruto. This is between you and the toads, no one else. Please, think about what you're saying. The toads have a tradition in Konoha…"

_"Tradition."_

The word was spat out of his mouth so hatefully that both women flinched.

"It's always about tradition. Tradition this, tradition that. I'm sick of tradition. So what if the toads have a long standing relationship with Konoha?"

Anko growled and let her hands dangle at her side, the snake wrapped around her shoulders hissing.

"All summons have a tradition, Naruto. They allow the ninja to become one of them so that they can help us. Did you think it was merely signing a contract? No. You become one of their own. The toads are incredibly loyal to those who are loyal to them. You'd have no problem with this. You're loyal to a fault."

"But…"

"Shut up. Let me finish. Naruto…you'd disappoint me if you didn't take this. It holds so many ties to so many others. The Yondaime fought alongside GamaBunta, you know. Think about it."

He didn't reply for the longest time. Even if his grandfather and parents had never confirmed it, he knew that the Yondaime was his father. He knew it. The toads were a piece of what little shred of knowledge he had about his birth parents. He'd thought of that long and hard. Surely they would know more about them.

Kurenai and Anko watched as he seemed to have a debate with himself. Slowly they walked by him and left the area. It was up to him now to do what he thought was best. Gamakichi hopped over and tugged on his pants leg, breaking him of his thoughts.

"Yes, Gamakichi?"

**You're not serious about not wanting us, are you?**

"I don't know, Gamakichi. I just don't know."

The little toad sighed and bowed its head.

**I can't stay here forever, bro. This is just a trial run. I like hanging around you. Don't you like hanging around me?**

Naruto nodded.

**Well, it's not just me that wants to meet you. Every one of the toads does. But you have to accept us just as we accepted you. We're not asking for anything but loyalty and comma…coma…**

"Camaraderie?"

**Yeah, that. We just want to help you and for you to help us. That's all. **

Naruto nodded his head slowly and turned around.

"Go back to Mt. Myobokuzan and tell Fukasaku-sama that I'll speak to him the day before the exam. I need to clear my head. I expect you to be there too."

Gamakichi nodded and put his webbed hands together.

**I'll see you then, bro.**

He poofed out of existence and left Naruto alone.

"Yeah…I'll see you then."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It had been two days since Naruto had last spoken to anyone. He merely sat in the middle of the training grounds, thinking. He had five days left before the exams and four before he had to meet the toads again. With a grunt of annoyance, he pushed himself off the ground and began to walk towards the lake.

He brushed his hands against every tree he passed, feeling the stiff bark under his fingertips. His stomach growled in protest after two days of not eating. After this, he'd have to go get some food. A quick sniff and he wrinkled his nose. A shower as well.

The sparkling blue of the lake soon broke through the leaves of the underbrush and he stepped out onto the shore. He wasn't happy with what he was about to do, but he needed advice. Slowly, he stepped onto the surface of the water and strode out to the middle. As he walked, his image slowly faded away, to be replaced by that of the Kyuubi in his suit. The red-haired man smiled malevolently and put his hands in his pockets, letting the boy carry them both across the surface.

Naruto finally stopped and looked down, right into the amused look of his prisoner. He frowned and leaned over so he could have a better look.

**Careful. You might fall in.**

"I'm not worried about that. I've come for counsel."

The Kyuubi quirked an eyebrow and smirked.

**Counsel, you say? I did offer that, although you've never taken me up on it before. Most of the time my suggestions are ignored.**

"Most of the time your suggestions are to slaughter everyone around me."

**Touche. So, what do you need counsel in?**

Naruto sighed and brushed a strand of hair out of his eyes.

"What should I do regarding the toads? What would you do if you were in my shoes?"

The Kyuubi put a hand to its chin and stood for several moments in thought before looking up at Naruto.

**Pace back and forth for me, would you? It helps me think.**

Naruto nodded and began to walk back and forth over the surface of the water while the Kyuubi 'hmm'ed to himself. After almost ten minutes, it let its hand drop.

**Stop. Here is what I would do.**

Naruto listened carefully, preparing himself for whatever smartass comment the fox threw his way.

**I would take the offer. It is more power that you will have at your disposal. Why the little chewtoys are so interested in you, I haven't the foggiest. But it would be in your best interest to accept.**

"Why?"

**Power is as power does. With power, you can make your own decisions, do what you want. It's why no one could stop me for so long…except for _them._**

"Them?"

The Kyuubi straightened its suit and smoothed its ruffled hair back out.

**Never you mind. I'll tell you when I deem you ready. Now, what are you going to do?**

"I will make my final decision after the exam. Not before. I'll have time to sort things out."

**Time is always of the essence, boy. Don't put off till tomorrow what you can and should do today. You'll regret it. Every time.**

"I'll keep that in mind."

**You do that. Are we finished? Your moroseness is becoming tiresome.**

"Yes, we're finished. I'm going home now."

The Kyuubi fell silent as Naruto marched back across the surface, the water under him slightly rippling from the chakra emitting from his feet. The fox was genuinely surprised that the boy had come to him for advice, having thought the blonde too proud. But who better to seek advice from than one who couldn't share the information with anyone else.

As his image disappeared from the surface when Naruto stepped back onto land, he settled into one of the highback chairs in front of the fireplace and put a fist to his chin. Things were going to get more interesting soon. The boy would have to show off his kekkei genkai finally. That would attract attention from several sources.

Life was sure to get more entertaining soon.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto didn't speak to anyone when he went home. He melted into the side of the house and then moved into his bathroom, shedding his clothing. Just as he was about to step into the shower, he heard a knock at the door.

"Naruto? Honey, are you allright?"

He sighed and closed the curtain so the water wouldn't run out onto the floor.

"Yes, mom. I'm fine."

"We haven't heard from you in days. Come to the den when you're done."

"Actually, I'm kind of tired…"

"Naruto. That wasn't a request. Come to the den when you're done."

He shuddered when she used that tone. His mother always could be scary when she wanted to be.

"Yes, mom. I'll be down when I'm done."

He showered quickly and threw on a clean pair of pants and a shirt before plodding down the stairs. He rounded the corner to the den and found his mother, father, and grandfather sitting there waiting on him. He knew immediately that he was in trouble. Sarutobi took a drag on his pipe and motioned to the only empty chair in the room.

"Have a seat, Naruto."

The blonde sat down carefully in the chair, looking from one face to the other. He didn't like the situation. Sarutobi leaned back in his plush chair and spoke.

"Naruto, your mother informs me that you had some harsh words for Jiraiya. Is that true?"

Naruto knew better than to try to lie, so he simply nodded his head.

"I see. Tell me, why did you get so angry?"

Naruto inhaled and exhaled slowly.

"I got angry because some of what he said was true. The rest I believe was unjust."

"I see."

Yahiko coughed into his hand to get Naruto's attention.

"The exam is in just a few days. Do you intend to unveil your kekkei genkai?"

"Yes."

Sarutobi clenched his pipe in his teeth.

"Do you think that is wise?"

Naruto turned to him, his face a mask of stoicism.

"I won't have a choice. I'll be up against an Uchiha, a Hyuuga, and that guy from Sand. I won't be able to play around. I'll have to be an assassin to beat them. I'll have to be me."

Sarutobi nodded his head and closed his eyes as he blew a ring of smoke around his head.

"I'm not sure what the result will be, but I approve of the decision. The reasoning is sound."

Eri and Yahiko waited for the two to explode at one another, but when it never came, Eri seized upon the opportunity.

"We've been worried about you, Naruto. You haven't been home in forever and it feels like you're avoiding us. We're your family. You shouldn't have to hide from family."

His first reaction was to say that they didn't have to worry about him, that he was an adult in the eyes of the village, that he wasn't a child anymore. But one look at his parents' eyes and the rebellion died on his lips. He could only think of a lame excuse.

"I've been busy preparing for the exam."

Yahiko's frown deepened.

"Be that as it may, you're still a growing boy. You need to come home to rest. Your sensei came by earlier and told us that she gave you the last week off. Stay home the rest of the time and relax. Be with your family."

Naruto nodded his head in resignation. He didn't much feel like being around his family at the moment, but it was less troublesome to just acquiesce to their desires.

"Fine. But the last day, I have to meet with the Toad Elder at my team's training ground. I can't shirk that."

Yahiko nodded his head in acceptance.

"That's fine. But stay home and visit with everyone. Just because you're training doesn't mean you should avoid those who love you."

Naruto gave them a small sad smile as he stood up.

"I won't anymore. I promise."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Once everyone had gone to bed, Sarutobi slunk down to his study and pulled out a bottle of pills. He had had a bad feeling about the exam ever since Orochimaru had marked Uchiha Sasuke. His wayward student was vain and capricious. He had a feeling of foreboding and therefore, decided to take drastic measures. If he was proven wrong, then all the better. He didn't want to have to use _that_ jutsu, after all.

He popped the pill in his mouth and swallowed it with a bit of water, before concentrating hard on his chakra flow.

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The next couple of days flew by while Naruto just milled around the house, talking to the servants and playing with Konohamaru when he got out of school. Evenings were filled with laughter and happiness. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he had missed just relaxing and being normal, if only for a while. His family gave him that.

The day before the exam arrived and Naruto strode to the training ground with purpose. He just wanted to talk with Fukasaku and try to get a few answers.

Fukasaku sat waiting on him, with Gamakichi by his side. They were the only two toads there, as per his request. He had no idea how they seemed to summon themselves, but didn't worry about it at the moment. He strode up to Fukasaku and bowed at his waist before taking a seat on the grass.

"Fukasaku-sama, thank you for agreeing to meet with me. I appreciate it."

The old toad cackled and thumped his cane on the ground.

**It's no problem at all, kiddo. Now, I'm sure you didn't call an old toad out here for idle chitchat. Have you made a decision about what we spoke about?**

Naruto shook his head and Fukasaku frowned.

"No, I have not made a final decision. I ask that you wait a little while longer. I'll give you my answer after the exam. I just have a few questions for you."

**All right then. Ask away.**

"All right. Why was I considered the only one worthy to be the toad summoner?"

**Because of you are you.**

Naruto frowned and put his palms down flat on the ground.

"Elaborate please."

Fukasaku sighed and sat back on his haunches a bit more.

**We didn't choose you, so much as fate entwined our destinies together.**

"I don't believe in fate."

**You don't have to. Fate believes in you.**

"That's very cryptic."

**Life is a puzzle, young 'un. You just have to learn how to put the pieces in the right place. Right now, the toads are one piece and you are another. We fit together. **

Naruto sighed.

"I don't like riddles…and I didn't come here to figure out a puzzle."

**You're seeking answers, yes? Then you're putting together a puzzle.**

Naruto groaned and buried his face in his hands.

"I just want to know, why me?"

Gamakichi grinned and hopped over to jump on Naruto's head. The boy looked up at the little toad, who leaned over his hair.

**We just want what's best for everyone, bro.**

Fukasaku nodded and gave a hacking laugh.

**This has nothing to do with your future job as Hokage, Naruto. This has to do with us. Just us.**

Naruto nodded and fidgeted on the grass.

"Besides the fact that you guys are powerful, why would you want me though? Don't you still have Jiraiya-sama as a summoner?"

**Yes. But Jiraiya won't be there forever. We have a seer in our midst, Naruto, a powerful seer of the future. He saw you in a vision. We've watched you for years, waiting for the time to introduce ourselves. **

"Can I meet this seer?'

**Only if you become our summoner. He's ancient, young 'un, very ancient and he can't move well anymore. He's also somewhat forgetful. Destiny told him that our paths were meant to merge, Naruto, but we don't want to force you to accept us. We want you to come to us of your own volition.**

"I…don't know what to do. You have a lot to offer me, I know that. But, I don't like the idea of fate forcing us together."

Fukasaku was quick to alleviate that fear.

**We're not forcing anyone. Fate is just a whisper of the future, Naruto. Nothing is concrete until the moment comes to pass. We always have a choice in what we do. The future is what faces the consequences of that moment. **

"I've been told that by my grandfather several times, but it doesn't mean I like it. I don't like that my whole future is ruled by one moment. That sounds way too much like Hyuuga Neji."

Fukasaku sighed and smiled at the blonde.

**You've said that you'll give me your final answer after the exam is over. I'm going to hold you to that. Gamakichi and I will be there watching the exam to see how you do. I expect big things out of you.**

"I intend to win."

**I know you will. Come, Gamakichi. We're going back. I expect a good show tomorrow.**

Naruto, despite not getting the answers he sought, grinned in spite of himself.

"I'll give you a show like you've never seen before."

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The day of the exam had arrived and Naruto stood with the rest on the arena floor. He stood at the end of the line, looking down at his fellow competitors. Shikamaru, Neji, Chouji, Gaara, Shino, Sasuke, TenTen, Dosu, and Lee all stood at attention. The crowd murmured to itself as Genma took his place in front of them.

"All of you stop fidgeting and face the Kage. Show respect and pride in your country."

The genin stood up straight and turned to the booth, just as the Kazekage entered.

Sarutobi turned to face his fellow Kage and gave the man a grin.

"Kazekage-dono, it is good to see you again. I hope your trip was pleasant."

The Kazekage took his seat and nodded.

"Hai, it was. Probably more pleasant for me than it would have been for you, what with your old bones and all."

Sarutobi gave the man a hard look and stood up.

"Well, youngster, don't count an old man out yet. I have a few more years left in me yet. Excuse me, I must announce the opening."

Sarutobi's voice boomed through the air and the arena grew quiet.

"Esteemed guests! Nobles and visitors! I welcome you to this year's Chuunin Exam Finals!"

A cheer erupted from the crowd and he waited until they had quieted down.

"Please, enjoy yourselves as we sample the finest genin from all over. Let the Chuunin Exam Finals commence!"

While he returned to his seat, the crowd roared its approval and Genma turned to the genin.

"Okay, here's how it's going to happen. I have here the lineup for the finals. It was chosen at random, just like the preliminaries, without your knowledge. The first two are Uzumaki Naruto and Nara Shikamaru. The rest of you retire to the balconies."

Naruto groaned when he heard Shikamaru groan and turned to face his Shogi partner. Shikamaru did not look nearly as thrilled as he was though. In fact, he looked surprisingly serious.

"What's the matter, Shikamaru? Not going to groan and give up?"

Shikamaru scoffed and his eyes darted to the stands.

"Not with my mother sitting up there. She's too troublesome. I at least have to appear to try. Just my luck to be paired up with you."

Naruto's grin widened as Genma stood between them.

"You know the rules. If I say stop, I mean stop. I can declare a winner at any time. Are you ready?"

Both boys nodded and Genma put his hand up before chopping downward and leaping away. Shikamaru was just about to slide into a position with more shadow when Naruto spoke.

"Let's not get hasty, Shikamaru. Do you remember what I told you back at the prelims?"

The words echoed in Shikamaru's head. _King takes pawn._ He nodded and gave Naruto a strange look.

"Yeah. What about it?"

"I want you to think Shikamaru. Use that head of yours. The king can take a pawn, correct?"

"Yeah, in any direction. What's your point?"

"Are you two actually going to fight?"

Naruto waved at Genma dismissively.

"Hang on, hang on. I'm giving him a choice. Let's say you're the king, Shikamaru. I'm a pawn. You can take me with your shadow, yes?"

Shikamaru nodded his head, his mind racing to come up with a solution.

"Yeah. So? Where are you going with this?"

Naruto grinned and put his fingers into a cross seal. A replica of him popped into existence.

"How about now?"

"Yeah, I can catch two of you?"

Naruto's grin widened until it threatened to split his face as the arena filled with copies of him. Shikamaru spun round and round, looking for the original, as all the Narutos spoke.

"How about now? How many pawns can the king take at a time, Shikamaru?"

The shadow-user sighed and knelt down on one knee in his thinking pose.

"Only one. Give me a minute to think?"

Genma growled and the crowd waited silently. That was a lot of clones after all. Shikamaru sat still, thinking, his mind racing. Finally, he stood up and raised his hand.

"I forfeit. I just can't take on that many blonde idiots."

The clones began to poof out of existence quickly until it left the original right in front of him. The crowd booed at the lack of action and some threw things into the arena. Shikamaru shrugged as the two walked up to the balconies.

"That was a dirty trick, Naruto. You know that the king can't take more than one pawn."

Naruto simply grinned and slapped his friend on the back.

"And that's why the pawn is one of the weakest and strongest on the field. By itself it's nothing, but together they can take down even a king."

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Sarutobi smiled at his grandson's well thought-out victory and turned to the Kazekage.

"Two minds that think ahead all the time. It was unfortunate that they were the first match."

The Kazekage nodded.

"Yes, they would have made a good intermission to go to the bathroom. A shame they couldn't have gone in the middle of the exam."

Sarutobi scowled and turned back to the action just as Genma was calling the next match.

"I assure you, those two would have put on quite a fight if they hadn't faced each other first. They both just think too much ahead. There was no need for a fight when they both already knew the outcome."

The Kazekage sneered.

"We call that 'cowardice' in Suna."

Sarutobi grunted and faced the front.

"We call it 'using your head' in Konoha."

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Fukasaku and Gamakichi sat in a nook by the wall of the arena, looking out at the grounds. Gamakichi sighed and pawed the ground.

**I wanted to see Naruto actually fight.**

Fukasaku nodded and stirred the dust with his cane.

**Don't worry. His next fight won't be nearly as quick. I assure you, Gamakichi.**

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Genma sighed and looked up into the balconies. He hoped the next match was more action filled. He hadn't taken this job to be bored. He rolled the senbon in his mouth to a more comfortable position and called out.

"Would Hyuuga Neji and Akimichi Chouji please come down to the arena?"

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Naruto and Shikamaru walked through the doorway just as the pissy Hyuuga and the portly Akimichi began their trek downstairs. They wished Chouji good luck and leaned against the railing. Gaara appeared next to Naruto, looking out over the arena.

"When we meet in that arena, I'll kill you. I want you to know that. Mother will enjoy your blood. You excite her like no other ever has."

Naruto didn't bother to glance at the red-head and growled.

"Tell your 'mother' that she's a bitch and she needs to get that sand out of her vagina."

Shikamaru cringed as the killing intent began to build between the two and slid down the rail.

'_These exams are so damn troublesome.'_

He heard Genma shout and the killing intent stopped.

"Hyuuga Neji vs. Akimichi Chouji, Hajime!"

The finals had officially begun.

**I'm back. The Exams kick off good next chapter. Let me know what you think. Oh, and check out the poll on my completed stories. If you've read any of them, let me know which one you thought was best. Thanks!**


	27. Threat or Promise?

And here's Chapter 27. Now, I realize that fight scenes are not exactly my forte, but I tried to make these fights as interesting as I could. I put thought into how they would turn out. I tried to consider each opponent's individual styles. I hope I captured it as well as possible. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...**Letter to My Daughters**_ by Uncle Kracker._

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN**

Naruto watched the match between Neji and Chouji with great interest. He could feel Gaara's eyes upon him and those of Sasuke, who he had no interest in at the moment. The battle below was what mattered at the moment. As soon as the match started, Chouji leapt back to give himself some distance and Neji rushed forward.

Chouji was not suited for this type of battle and he knew it. Neji was much faster than him and with both being taijutsu users, he was at a disadvantage since he couldn't think as fast as Shikamaru, and he wasn't a jutsu powerhouse. He wasn't going out without a fight though. His father had been working with him on the Bubun Baika jutsu and he'd have to use what he knew.

Neji may have had speed and precision, but Chouji was all about power. And speed and precision meant nothing if you couldn't get close enough to touch the opponent. Chouji knew what would happen if Neji got close enough. Hinata had done it to him enough times in practice that he knew what awaited if those fingers touched him. He waited for Neji to get close, hoping that the other boy would underestimate his speed. When Neji jabbed at Chouji's chest, the rotund boy rolled forward and darted past.

Neji observed Chouji with his Byakugan as the round boy came to a stop behind him. He slowly turned, a smirk on his face.

"If you give up now, I won't seal off your tenketsu. You don't interest me in the least. Fate has decreed that you will lose to me."

Chouji grunted and held is right arm out to the side.

"I probably will, but I'm not going out without a fight. Buubun Baika no Jutsu!"

Chouji's right arm expanded to several times its normal size and he rushed forward. Neji leapt to the side and brushed against Chouji's arm as he went by, aiming for the tenketsu. He stopped several yards away and took up his stance again as Chouji raised his arm and waved it up and down.

"Huh. That stung. Guess you missed."

Neji frowned as Chouji grinned and tensed as the portly boy readied himself for a second assault. He didn't like it when things didn't go his way, the way of Fate.

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Hinata sat beside Kiba, Ino, and Sakura in the crowds. She blinked when Neji obviously used her family's style to seal off Chouji's tenketsu but the Akimichi didn't even seem to notice. With a quick flash of her hands, her Byakugan was activated and she gasped. The three beside her asked what the matter was and she smiled.

"I've noticed it before in practice. Whenever Chouji uses his Baika no Jutsu, his body swells around his tenketsu. The tenketsu stay the same size, but the muscles and…fat…around the coils get bigger and expand. Trying to locate the tenketsu is like looking in a fun house mirror. They're much further away than normal, so it takes pinpoint precision to hit them."

Kiba looked back to the arena quickly and then back to Hinata.

"So, Chouji has a chance?"

Hinata nodded and smiled.

"It's still slim, since Neji-niisan _is_ a prodigy. If anyone can reach through and touch the tenketsu, it's him."

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Another crater appeared where Chouji's fist had landed and Neji scowled. Every time he touched where the tenketsu were, he only gave the fat boy a tingling sensation. With a start, he realized that the boy's fat and muscle were diluting the chakra before it reached its destination. He gritted his teeth, watching as Chouji drew his arm back again. He'd have to be very careful from here on out.

Chouji pulled his arm back and frowned. An Akimichi's power was their greatest asset. Stamina wasn't one of those assets. Soldier pills took care of that but they only prolonged a fight. The pills were a temporary solution. Finishing a fight quickly was important. He threw his arm backward and forced chakra into it, lengthening it as he thrust the expanded arm forward in a sweeping motion across the field.

Neji braced for impact as the arm came towards him and grunted when it slammed into him. As he was dragged along, he focused on the chakra points he could see and funneled his chakra into a fine edge, driving it home into the tenketsu. The arm and Neji impacted the wall of the arena, shaking it with bone-jarring force. Chouji's arm shrank back to a normal size and lay limp against his side. He cradled it with his other arm and groaned in pain.

The Akimichi watched as the dust began to settle, hoping against hope that Neji had been knocked unconscious in the impact. The sound of small rubble hitting the ground drew his attention and he growled in frustration as Neji pulled himself out of the hole he'd made. The Hyuuga's face was set into a grimace as he stumbled forward.

"It seems that your arm is useless now. I won't let you have another opportunity. Fate has decided the outcome of this match. Give up."

Chouji lowered his head and held his good arm out to his side. If he could just knock the boy out before his arm was sealed, then he could win. He probably wouldn't be able to compete further, but it would be a victory. His arm expanded and he swept it across the field again towards Neji as fast as he could.

Neji began to pick up his pace slowly as he walked away from the wall until he was in a mad sprint towards the younger boy. His entire body ached after crashing into the wall and he needed to end this quickly. This boy wasn't worthy of his full power. Brute force would not force him to tip his hand so soon in the game. He watched with his Byakugan as the arm came closer and closer and leapt into the air right before it hit him. Chouji's arm slammed into the wall again and he pulled it back immediately to try to fend off the coming onslaught.

He was too late. Neji rushed forward and took up his Juuken stance before crying out.

"Hakke Rokujuuyonshou!"

Chouji tried to move but he simply wasn't quick enough. Neji called out as he pressed the sixty-four points on Chouji's body.

"Two palms! Four Palms! Eight Palms! Sixteen Palms! Thirty-two Palms! Sixty-four Palms!"

Chouji let out a gurgle and collapsed onto the ground, his arm shrinking back to normal and laying limply beside him. Neji took a deep breath and schooled his face back to its normal stoic passiveness.

"You see? Fate insured my victory before we began. I tried to spare you the indignity of defeat, but you wouldn't listen. Trying to fight against fate is never an ideal situation."

Genma grunted and stepped forward.

"Winner, Hyuuga Neji."

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As the medics took Chouji off the field and Neji walked to the medical center to be looked at, Sarutobi turned to the Kazekage.

"Now_ that_ was a rousing battle. Somewhat on the short side, but explosions always get the crowd going."

The Kazekage nodded his head.

"Yes, it does get the blood flowing. Based on that match, I'm not sure if the Hyuuga is ready for the role of a Chuunin or not. I'd need to see more."

Sarutobi took a puff on his pipe and leaned back into his seat. The Kazekage glanced over and smirked.

"You know, smoking is bad for your health."

The old Hokage blew a smoke ring into the air and grinned.

"At my age, it doesn't really matter anymore. Allow an old man his vices."

The Kazekage turned his eyes back to the front and his smirk widened further.

_'Yes, it truly doesn't matter anymore.'_

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"Chouji never was one much for strategy. I'm happy that he was able to at least wound Neji though."

Naruto nodded at Shikamaru's statement, but said nothing. Neji was good, no doubt about it. Chouji just didn't have the skill set to take on a Hyuuga…yet. No one was all-powerful. The fact that Neji apparently had problems hitting the tenketsu was evidence that Chouji had had a chance.

Shikamaru turned his head to look at the contemplative blonde and sighed.

"So troublesome."

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Genma waited for the two boys to be led off the field and swished the senbon around in his mouth. He had to keep the show flowing.

"Next match! Aburame Shino versus Sabaku no Gaara! Would the two of you come down here?"

Shino glanced over at Gaara, his eyebrows barely noticeable over his sunglasses. If one didn't know the boy, one would think he was cool as a cucumber. But Naruto knew Shino. The posture, the tenseness of his steps, the way his hands were clenching and unclenching in his coat, the faint sound of his Kikai bugs humming…Shino was nervous and rightfully so.

Gaara turned to Naruto and gave him a cold stare.

"Do not get comfortable, Uzumaki. I'll return shortly."

Naruto snorted and leaned his arms on the rail, letting his chin rest on them.

"Oh lordy, whatever shall I do with you gone? However will I fill the void in my heart?"

Gaara's grin began to grow at an insane pace.

"Your blood will undoubtedly be the best Mother has ever tasted. I look forward to further conversations with you. The last words of the dying are always so amusing."

Shikamaru shivered as the red-haired gening brushed past him and leaned over to Naruto.

"What the hell are you thinking, man? That guy is out for your blood and you're cracking jokes?"

Naruto shrugged and watched as the two stepped onto the field.

"Gaara is the only one that worries me in this contest. He's the only one I'm not sure I can beat."

"Then why the hell are you antagonizing him?"

Naruto grinned and rubbed the back of his head.

"I'm not sure. He just rubs me the wrong way. I could have turned out like him, you know."

Shikamaru blinked.

"What?"

Naruto turned back to the arena.

"Nothing. It's nothing."

Shikamaru frowned and cut his eyes to the blonde beside him.

_'The hell it is.'_

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Shino's brain was processing data as quickly as it could as Gaara stood across from him. He hadn't seen the boy fight, since his sister gave up at the preliminaries, but what he garnered from Hinata was that the boy didn't move much. He didn't have to. His mastery over sand was almost instinctual. Sublime on a whole other level.

It was reminiscent of how Shino controlled his kikaichuu. They acted on his base instincts and emotions, only rarely needing him to guide them. Most of the time that was for misdirection. But to face an opponent who could be just as sedentary as you while being entirely more deadly…

…well, that was just unsettling. He'd have to formulate a plan and think everything through. He may not have been the strategist that Shikamaru or Naruto were, but he wasn't too shabby. He just preferred the more logical approach to Shikamaru's several hundred moves ahead and Naruto's on-the-spot ideas. After all, the most efficient way to knock down an arch was not to wait for heavy equipment (lazy Shikamaru) nor to use a chakra-sapping jutsu (overenthusiastic Naruto), but to simply take a hammer and chisel and knock out the keystone.

He simply had to find Gaara's keystone and it was game over.

The question was: how to accomplish this when the arch seemed so indestructible?

Shino watched carefully as Genma approached him and Gaara, raised his hand, and chopped it down. Both boys simply stood there, Shino's eyes calculating and cold, Gaara's disinterested and unfocused. Shino ducked when the cork from Gaara's gourd flew at him and backflipped away when the sand tried to capture him. Shino retreated to a safer distance and pulled out two kunai.

Naruto had warned him against this particular foe. His friend had told him that Gaara was dangerous and that if he faced him in combat, he should withdraw immediately. Someone that disturbed even Naruto, who was about as unflappable as they came, scared the shit out of Shino quite frankly.

He observed the sand as it waved around the red-haired boy and the way the boy stood. The sand appeared to be autonomous, acting of its own accord. If that was true, then the trick was to fool the sand into going one direction and as far from Gaara as possible, while Shino got up close and personal. He'd have to be crafty and devious.

Gaara watched as the kikaichuu master's right hand rose and a swarm of the bugs enveloped it before flying at him. Instead of attacking Gaara, however, the bugs latched onto the sand and began to siphon off the chakra that the grains contained. The sand began to fall to the ground and the rest retreated back to swirl around the jinchuuriki.

The boy from Suna's perpetual frown deepened. Some of his sand was useless now. While not exactly detrimental, it did lessen his defense. He might actually have to invest in this fight. The thought brought a hint of a smile to his face. Perhaps this boy's blood would please Mother.

The bugs returned to Shino and relayed what they knew. The sand was filled with chakra, making it lighter and easier to move and control. What they had drained was now cut off from the rest of Gaara and was useless until recharged. With this information, Shino decided to set three quarters of his swarm on Gaara in a gamble. His family was never big on jutsu. They had always relied on their bond with their kikaichuu, a superior intellect and thought process, and a solid taijutsu for close encounters. That was what Shino was banking on now.

As the bugs left his body, they formed a screen in front of him and Shino had the rest form a bunshin of himself. He waited for the rest of the kikaichuu to launch their assault on Gaara before using Kawarimi with a rock, leaving his bunshin behind. It was time to see if his plan would work.

Gaara's eyes widened minutely as the swarm approached quickly and sent his sand out to intercept it. The bugs latched onto the sand and began to suck as much chakra as they could away. A few broke off and continued on toward Gaara. Another stream of sand snapped them out of the air and killed them.

The Suna ninja cut his eyes to where Shino was standing with his hands in his pockets, almost nonchalantly. Such a picture infuriated Gaara and his sand swirled faster before shooting out for the host of the kikaichuu. The bugs tried to follow but it was traveling too fast. Shino tensed as the sand approached and the entire audience gasped when it speared through the Aburame. Gaara's sickening smile could be felt in the stands before it faded into disbelief.

Two things happened in the same instance. The Shino across the arena burst into another swarm of bugs and the sand swirled as if confused. Gaara froze when he felt something pointy jab at his throat and turned his head slowly to find Shino with a kunai aimed at his Adam's Apple.

"Forfeit, Gaara-san. I have you at a disadvantage."

Gaara's surprise slowly disappeared to be replaced by a predatory grin.

"Die."

Shino's eyebrows shot above his glasses as Gaara's entire body began to crumble away, leaving a very pale-skinned Gaara beneath. Shino realized instantly what had happened. He'd had his entire body encased in sand. And now, Shino's bugs were too far away to help…Shino felt the sand creeping around his ankles, holding him fast, and raised his hand.

"Proctor, I forfeit. My opponent has me caught."

Genma nodded and called the match.

"Aburame Shino has forfeited. Winner is Sabaku no Gaara."

Shino was shocked when the sand continued to creep up his legs and Genma was quick to catch on.

"Gaara, I said that the match is over. Stop what you're doing."

Gaara glared at Genma and grabbed at his eye when he felt pain.

"Mother wants his blood. It should be tasty. Interfere and I'll kill you too."

The kikaichuu, sensing the stress of their host, tried to return to protect him, but were continuosly blocked by a wall of sand. The sand kept creeping up Shino slowly, as the sand that had had its chakra drained began to rise again and cover him. Shino wasn't one to panic, but he was beginning to feel anxious. He'd never felt this close to death in his whole life. Just as some of the sand reached his chest, he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to find his sensei behind him.

"Don't worry, Shino. We have this under control."

Shino felt the sand stop and turned his gaze back to find Gaara surrounded by several jounin and the Hokage. Genma had a kunai to the boy's throat and spoke in a low growl.

"Next time I tell you to stop, I expect you to stop. This is a competition with rules, Gaara-san, and you are expected to follow them. Failure to comply will result in your death next time."

Gaara simply stared ahead.

"You have stopped Mother from feeding. When I have the chance, I'll kill all of you."

The sand fell from Shino and all of it returned to the gourd, while Shino's bugs flew back to their host hurriedly. He felt the familiar presence of them within him and let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. Kakashi smiled at him and turned him back to the staircase while the arena vacated again.

"You performed well, Shino. That was a very well thought out plan. If you would have had teammates, it probably would have succeeded."

Shino nodded and kept walking to the stairway.

"But it didn't."

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The Hokage appeared beside the Kazekage again and settled back into his chair. The Kazekage bowed his head as if in apology.

"Forgive my son, Hokage-dono. He gets that way sometimes."

Sarutobi scowled and narrowed his eyes at his counterpart.

"I did not see you jumping in to help, Kazekage-dono. You need to control your ninja better."

"Hai. I'll keep that in mind."

_'Damn that brat! He could ruin everything with his wildcard status.'_

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Gaara appeared beside Naruto again with a shunshin and was met with a low growl.

"You ever do that to a comrade of mine again and I'll kill you myself, alliance between villages or not. Do you hear me?"

Gaara 's lips turned up at the corner as he slowly turned to face Naruto.

"Yes. I hear you. Keep that hate, Uzumaki. I want to feel that hate when we fight."

Shikamaru looked around to the others on the balcony. Lee, Sasuke, TenTen, and Dosu were all that hadn't fought. After witnessing the tension between Naruto and Gaara, he was glad that he wasn't in the finals. Those two had all but said they would be the final two.

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Sasuke grinned as he felt his cursed seal pulse. One of those two would be his opponent. He would finally have a measure for his power. He could finally find out where his limits lay.

He would finally take another step toward his brother.

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Genma sighed and rolled the senbon around his tongue. He didn't know if he could take much more excitement. Thankfully, there were only two more matches on the docket for that day. He pulled the paper from his back pocket and turned to the balcony.

"Would TenTen and Uchiha Sasuke please come to the arena?"

TenTen took a deep breath and turned to the doorway, brushing by Sasuke as she did. He wasn't paying any attention to her at the moment though, having locked eyes with Naruto.

"I'll make this quick, Uzumaki. A preview of what I'm going to do to you."

TenTen growled at the dismissal and quickened her pace. She didn't care if he was the best in his class. She didn't even care if she lost now. She just wanted this punk to know he'd been in a fight. If she had her way, Swiss cheese would have nothing on Sasuke when she was done with him.

Sasuke strolled casually down to the arena, his hands in his pockets. He wasn't concerned with the girl he was fighting. She was a weapons specialist, nothing to be overly worried about. Besides, with the speed that Kakashi had forced him to train for, her weapons would never touch him. The two genin stood across from each other on the arena floor and Genma stepped forward.

"Now, you've heard the rules already and saw what happened a short while ago. Follow the rules set forth and don't disobey me. I'm on edge enough. Understand?"

The two both gave a short, concise nod and Genma raised his hand, then chopped it downward. Sasuke snorted and sneered at TenTen.

"I'll give you one chance to surrender. You know you're no match for me."

TenTen scowled and pulled two kunai from her pouch, twirling them by the rings.

"Big talk from a little boy. Why don't you see how well I match up to you?"

Sasuke bent low, his annoying smirk still on his face, as he took up his stance.

"Your loss."

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Gai stepped up beside Kakashi in the stands with his arms crossed. His normally smiling face was somber and Kakashi did not fail to notice that, though he gave no indication. Neither looked at the other, opting instead to watch the match as they talked.

"Kakashi, your pupil Shino did quite well against Gaara. I was not sure that he would even get that close."

TenTen slashed at Sasuke and the boy twirled away, lashing out with a kunai of his own.

"Shino is a very smart individual, Gai. He usually keeps the other two in line."

Sasuke flashed through some handseals and spit out fireballs at TenTen, who rolled out of the way and pulled out her scrolls.

"I'm sure that is quite the job, considering who his teammates are."

"My team does just fine, Gai."

"I'm sure it does. Tell me, Kakashi, what did Shino need help with over the break?"

Sasuke threw shuriken at TenTen and she blocked them with a katana she had unsealed.

"He needed help with several things, but his father took care of that. I had to help Sasuke."

Gai frowned and watched as TenTen kept Sasuke on the run.

"Your role is that of a sensei, Kakashi. You're not allowed to choose one to train."

"I believe that Lee gets a bit of extra help, doesn't he?'

Gai's eyes became cold and hard as he saw Sasuke slam a knee into TenTen's gut.

"Lee gets extra help, Kakashi. He doesn't get_ all_ the help. I train my students equally."

Kakashi shrugged and looked on as TenTen backed away from Sasuke while throwing volley after volley of shuriken, backing him to the wall on the opposite side.

"You have your ways, Gai, and I have mine. Let's leave it at that."

"Your hipness is not appreciated at the moment, Kakashi. We'll continue this later."

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TenTen stopped just short of the wall and pulled two scrolls from her pouch. She couldn't afford to get too close to Sasuke. The boy was too fluid with his taijutsu. She knew he didn't have any Fuuton jutsus in his arsenal though, so she should be in the clear. With a few quick handsigns, her scrolls rose into the air, smoke pouring from them in the shape of dragons, and TenTen followed them up.

A few quick swipes across the writing on the parchments and the air was suddenly filled with weapons of all sizes and sharpness. TenTen grinned down at Sasuke as she began to rain the weapons down upon him.

Sasuke looked up at the oncoming storm of steel and swore to himself. This bitch was really out for blood. He quickly went through a series of handsigns and filled his lungs with air. He only needed this to work once. Too bad it took so much chakra.

The technique's name was lost in the roar as a giant fireball erupted into being and any of the weapons it hit were melted immediately. Sasuke fell to one knee as the weapons cascaded down around him. He heard TenTen scream and looked up to find her falling to the ground, her clothes smoking. A smirk found its way back to his face. He'd gotten her.

TenTen had thought quickly at the last moment. She said a silent thanks to Gai-sensei for making her focus on defense as well as offense with her scrolls. A quick swipe across the quickly burning paper brought forth a huge shield, which she hid behind. It didn't protect her from the intense heat though or the flames that licked around the metal. TenTen screamed as she fell and collapsed into the dust with an audible thump. Her whole body ached and she knew she had burns.

She lifted herself off the ground, the shield still in her hand, and watched as Sasuke performed some handsigns and then held his right wrist. Electricity crackled around it and he rushed forward, the ground churning beneath him. TenTen threw the shield up in front of her, but knew she was too hurt to dodge. The chirping sound got closer and closer before it finally stopped and she looked over the shield.

Genma stood holding Sasuke's right wrist tightly in his grip, a scowl marring his normally uninterested face. The glare he sent Sasuke was reciprocated by the boy.

"I told you that this match was over as soon as she hit the ground. She has burns all over her body and her muscles were probably seized up from the fall. Besides that fact, that's an assassination jutsu you were going to use on her."

Sasuke tried to jerk his hand away, but Genma's grip was like iron.

"It's a fight to the death, right?"

"Not when I've already called the fight. You won. Go back to the balconies."

Sasuke jerked his hand free and stalked off while Genma called the match. TenTen lay on the ground as the medics were waved over, when Gai appeared at her side, a soft smile on his face.

"I'm sorry, Gai-sensei."

"Don't be sorry, TenTen. Your effort was most youthful. You'll do better next time."

Tears prickled at the edge of her eyes as the medics lifted her onto a gurney, but from pain or joy no one could tell. Gai watched her go before turning his attention to Kakashi and speeding back to his spot.

_'What the hell were you thinking teaching that boy that jutsu?'_

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Sasuke calmly walked back onto the balcony, ignoring the look that Naruto was giving him. He was one step closer to his brother now. He just needed a few more to find out where he stood.

Lee and Dosu didn't need any instruction. While Genma was announcing them, the two walked side by side to the arena. Dosu cut his good eye to Lee and chuckled. Lee turned his head.

"What is so funny?"

"Oh nothing. Just thinking of how I'm going to kill you."

Lee's hand tightened into a fist and his eyes became intense.

"We shall see."

The two stopped walking and turned to face each other in the middle of the arena. Genma raised his hand up.

"Final match of the day, Rock Lee versus Kinuta Dosu, begin!"

Lee had seen what Dosu could do with his Melody Arm in the Forest of Death. He knew to avoid it and that it could send out short pulses of sound to disorient the enemy. Lee was a bad matchup for such close quarters matchups…

…except he was Rock Lee and such things did not always apply to him. Lee settled into his Goken stance and waited for Dosu to make the first move. Dosu ran forward and swung his arm. Lee flipped backwards and ran as fast as he could around the wall's perimeter. Dosu was struggling to keep up with Lee's speed when a foot connected with his face. He flew into the wall and Lee stopped, waiting to see what happened.

Dosu shoved the rubble off of himself and stood up. He knew he couldn't meet this kid on speed. He'd have to be trickier.

Unfortunately, it was not to be so. Lee wasn't about to take chances when he was this far into the game. Dosu fell under a relentless assault of punches and kicks, his Melody arm never even setting a factor in the fight. Genma called the match and the medics hauled the broken and battered Dosu off the field. The senbon-chewing jounin bowed to the Kage booth and raised his voice slightly.

"This concludes the matches for today. Please return tomorrow for the semifinal matches. Thank you for coming! All competitors that made it to the semi-finals will report back here at the designated time tomorrow!"

A cheer rose from the crowd and they began to disperse, the chuunin hopefuls all going home to be with their families. Naruto was no exception as he shunshined home. He wanted to spend some time with his family and get a good home-cooked meal. Tomorrow was his reckoning…

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Sarutobi sat in his study in his house, staring at a glass of water and a pill on the table. He had one more day, at least, to prepare for anything that might happen. He had a bad feeling that things would come to a head soon, that old wounds would reopen and that the consequences would be heavy.

He swallowed the pill and took a gulp of water. He had to be ready for anything…even if it meant his death.

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Genma sighed as he stood with the semifinalists behind him in the middle of the arena. He turned to face them, his voice cutting through all the shouts from the audience.

"When I say the match is over, I mean it's over. You'd better listen for the sound of my voice. Two of you have been warned already. Don't let it happen again. Now, face the Kage."

Sarutobi nodded his head politely to the Kazekage and addressed the crowd.

"Welcome, once again, to the Chuunin Exams. Today will be the semi-finals, followed by a two-hour recess and then the final! Please, enjoy yourselves and cheer for the competitors!"

The crowd roared its approval and Genma fished a paper out of his back pocket.

"Okay, first off, one of you gets a by. Unless one of you forfeits right now, the finals will more than likely be a three way. Now, you know the drill. I call out the first two, the rest of you retire to the balcony. First up, Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Neji!"

Naruto and Neji eyeballed one another while the rest walked off the field. Neji smirked and fell into his Juuken stance.

"Fate has decreed…"

"Fuck Fate. I'm tired of people dictating things to me. Today, I show you what Fate gets you."

Neji sneered and readied himself further.

"So be it."

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"Man, of all the opponents Naruto could have gotten, why'd it have to be Neji? He'll have a tough time. I should know."

Hinata, Ino, and Kiba all shared a look and smiled. Sakura was only partly right. Naruto might have a tough time, but Neji was in for a rude awakening. Their attention was drawn back to the arena when Genma's shout echoed through the air.

"Begin!"

**Next chapter is even more interesting. Hope the fights were enjoyable. Let me know what you think.**


	28. And The Walls Came Tumbling Down

And here's Chapter 28. Another hard one to write. I find battles so tedious to put onto paper, but in a ninja fic, they're needed so badly. I got this one green-lighted by another author, DarkHeroOrion. He liked it, so I hope you do too. Enjoy. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...**Highway to Hell**_ by ACDC._

_Thanks to all of you who helped The Melt reach over 600,000 hits. That's pretty damn good. I tip my hat to all of you who read._

**CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT**

A slight breeze wafted through the arena as Genma leapt back to avoid the battle that was to come. Naruto and Neji stood as if frozen, neither one budging, waiting for the other to move first. It was a standoff to see whose nerves would shatter first. Naruto didn't have the patience for a waiting game, however, and after the first minute he rushed forward with no warning.

Neji sneered as the blonde got closer, his hands twitching with anticipation. Once the other boy was within striking range, the veins around Neji's eyes bulged and his hand swept forward, aiming for Naruto's incoming right arm. His white eyes widened when he felt another palm slap against his and looked down.

"Apparently you've forgotten how I stopped Hinata's Jyuuken in the preliminaries. Bad mistake."

Neji's frown turned into a sneer again as he took a couple of steps back and readied himself again.

"I know for a fact that you can't keep that up all the time, Uzumaki. That trick won't work forever."

Naruto nodded and put his hands into a familiar cross seal. Ten copies of him burst into existence and Neji shook his head.

"Why are you bothering with that trick? I know they're only copies. One hit and they're gone. Hinata proved that. At least she was good for something."

Naruto growled and his clones all unsheathed copies of his knife.

"Don't talk about her like that, Neji. It's only going to make it worse for you."

The Hyuuga boy snorted and a smirk crossed his face.

"Talk about her how? Saying that she is a smear on the Hyuuga name is not without justification. When she ceases to be a disappointment to our family's name, _then_ I will speak of her with respect."

Naruto's face darkened and he stood upright, his hands dangling at his sides, his fingers flexing and unflexing. His lips moved constantly, revealing the fangs that lay underneath them. With one swift movement, he unsheathed his own field knife and held it in a reverse grip. He addressed his clones without ever breaking eye contact with Neji.

"Get ready. We're going to do this like we've been trained to do. Treat him as an enemy. Nothing lethal, but blood is acceptable."

The clones gave him sharp nods and began to melt into the ground. Naruto waited until they were all gone into the ground before starting to melt himself. His claws dug into the leather wrapping of his knife as he spoke.

"I'm going to hurt you, Neji. I'm going to make you suffer."

Neji watched as the blonde seemed to fade from sight and pushed a bit more chakra into his Byakugan. Naruto wasn't there anymore. He had…vanished. A snort came from him in displeasure at his own thoughts. No one could hide from the Byakugan. No one. Not even the Hokage's grandson. He knew that to be a fact.

So…why couldn't he find Naruto?

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Sasuke's fingers threatened to dent the rail as they gripped it tightly. He had been observing the short altercation with his Sharingan activated since they began. His dojutsu might not be able to look through solid objects like the Byakugan, but it could decipher genjutsu. There wasn't one. It could read body language. There had been none. It even allowed him to copy whatever his opponent was doing.

There had been nothing to copy.

It seemed as if the Uzumaki boy had just become one with the floor. His chakra wasn't even visible anymore. But nothing could hide from the Sharingan. He knew that for a fact.

So…why couldn't he see Naruto?

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Gaara was practically giddy with anticipation. His breathing was labored as he watched the boy disappear into the ground. Mother had said that this one was different and now he knew what Mother meant. Not even his sand could reach him if he was able to melt into objects.

He didn't care about being able to see Naruto. He wanted to be able to _kill_ Naruto. Oh, how he wished he was fighting at the moment…

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Everyone in the crowds, the ninja included, was wondering how the blonde had done that. It was one thing to use Shinjuu Zanshu no Jutsu to hide yourself, but experienced ninja could still sense your presence if they were good enough. To the elites' surprise, they couldn't sense the boy.

So…where the hell had he gone?

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Neji waited patiently for an assault to begin, his eyes darting back and forth so that that one-degree of blindness was covered. This wasn't what he had expected of an opponent. Older ninja were stealthy like this. Young ninja like himself were usually brash and wanted to be seen and heard. He himself was not like this, but his family's style dictated a straightforward approach.

He knew that the Uzumaki's sensei was the premier genjutsu queen in Konoha, so he had automatically scanned for chakra layers that would signify an illusion. He found nothing. A scan of the area revealed that the blonde wasn't hiding underground. Where the hell was he? A bead of sweat rolled off Neji's face and fell to the ground with a plop. His hearing strained to the fullest, he heard it strike the dirt and kept looking. Another bead rolled off his chin and fell. He heard it land, but the sound was different.

A quick glance downward revealed a hand emerging from the dirt with a field knife ready to stab him in the foot. Neji's eyes sprang open and he leapt back. The knife stopped in its descent and the hand slowly melted back into the earth. Neji looked around wildly in anger.

"Come out, you coward! I thought you were going to hurt me?"

His vision detected two hands this time trying to stab his feet and he leapt away again. The hands slowly melted back into the ground and the crowd leaned forward, eager to see where this would go. Naruto's disembodied voice floated through the air.

_"I told you, Neji, I'm going to hurt you."_

"By attacking my feet? My hands are more dangerous."

_"I'm trying to nail your feet to the ground. Now, if you'll kindly stand still..."_

Neji watched in horror as ten hands slowly came out of the ground, all brandishing a knife, and began to make their way toward him, poised to stab. The audience watched, speechless, as the Hyuuga danced around the arena floor, dodging the relentless attack of the ten hands. Gai and Kakashi were stupefied as well, neither having ever seen the Hokage's grandson use that tactic before. A series of cackles beside them brought their attention to Mitarashi Anko, sitting crosslegged on a concrete partition beside a stoic Kurenai, eating a take-out box of dango. Gai couldn't help himself.

"Anko-san, have you ever seen him do this?"

Anko snickered as she watched the black-haired boy continue his dance around the arena, Naruto's hands in hot pursuit.

"Yeah, he thought up this idea during the month's training. Got the idea when he remembered some sharks swimming alongside us on 'that' mission."

Gai nodded, a small smile creeping at the corners of his mouth.

"He was always an imaginative pupil. Perhaps we'll see some more surprises before the exam is through."

Kakashi flashed through some memories of his team's mission to Wave and Naruto's involvement. He'd been impressed then, though he'd never admit it, and he was impressed now. The three's attention returned to the arena when they noticed that Neji was backed against the arena wall.

Neji smirked as he reached the wall and planted his hands on it, flipping backwards and up onto the side. The hands holding the knives stopped at the base, as if confused, and he let his Byakugan rest for a bit, since it wasn't helping him much anyway. Backpedaling up the wall while sticking to it with his feet, he called out to the unseen blonde.

"Is that all you can do? Is that your trick? Unless I'm on the ground, you can't do anything to me!"

When he received no retort, he prepared to yell again, when he felt something cold and sharp poke at the side of his neck. He stiffened and his eyes widened when he heard Naruto whisper to him.

"That's not all I can do. I can do much, much more. Come down, Neji. We have so much more to show you."

Neji let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding when the Naruto behind him disappeared in a puff of smoke. His attention returned to the arena floor where ten Narutos stood looking up at him. Genma scowled as he walked up to the troop of blondes, his hands in his pockets.

"You had him. Why did you let him go? I was about to call the match."

"He needs to be knocked down a few pegs. Doing it like that would not show him anything."

Genma rolled his senbon around his mouth and shook his head.

"You're an idiot, kid. This isn't a training session. You know if you lose, Anko'll kill you herself, especially after that stunt."

The real Naruto sighed, but didn't take his eyes off a fuming Neji.

"I know."

He could literally feel the heat from Anko's glare on his back, but he wasn't about to turn around. He knew that she'd tear him apart just with her eyes. Kurenai wouldn't be much better, but at least she didn't have homicidal tendencies…that he knew of. With a shudder, he returned all of his focus to Neji, just as the boy reached the ground. Naruto didn't even give him a chance to recuperate as he rushed forward, his clones taking off just before him.

Neji's Byakugan blazed to life and his stance was flawless. His eyes twitched back and forth as the clones raced forward, knives drawn, and as the first one struck, he lashed out and dispelled it with a strike to the chest. The second clone met a palm strike to the temple. The third dove straight down into the ground and Neji ignored it for the time being. He didn't have much time to worry about it anyway as the remaining seven set upon him.

Meeting a Hyuuga head on was never a smart decision and in the back of his mind, he worried about what his fellow Konoha ninja had planned. Naruto had always been devious, but he had never known him to be this conniving and willing to hurt someone. The white-eyed boy quickly dispatched the remaining clones and froze, looking around for any sign of the original. Behind him, a Naruto burst out of the ground like a blue marlin breaching the waves, and made the handsign for Kage Bunshin. As what he assumed was the original fell back into the earth, over a hundred copies poofed into existence.

Neji ground his teeth as the clones encircled him. He'd have to pull out all the stops at this point. Just before they swarmed him, he smirked and began to twirl. The audience, especially the Hyuuga in attendance, gasped as he did something no branch member before him ever had.

"Hakkeshou Kaiten!"

The revolution drew in the clones and they exploded in magnificent bursts against the shell of chakra. The whirling boy grew more confident as more and more of the clones were shredded and dispelled. He knew that those things took copious amounts of chakra and that surely Naruto would be winding down.

He was sorely mistaken.

As his spin began to wind down, the chakra shell dissipated, and just as Neji's feet began to catch hold of the ground, he felt a sharp pain go through his calves. He screamed in agony and fell, clutching at his legs. Naruto slowly emerged from the arena floor before him, glaring down at the prostrated Hyuuga.

"Fate, huh? Will you blame fate for your loss? Because you said that fate had decreed you the winner already…"

Neji glared up at the younger boy with as much hatred as he could muster. He couldn't stand with his strength taken from his legs. In the back of his mind, he was hoping that Genma would call the match, but the man merely stood there, as if intrigued by what might happen. Naruto squatted down on his haunches, flipping his blade in his hands, just out of Neji's reach.

The crowd was silent as they waited for whatever may come. Naruto rocked on his heels, back and forth, as he spoke.

"I've been receiving special training in my spare time for the profession chosen for me. Would you care to know what it is?"

Neji spit at him and he dodged to the side, letting the globule of saliva sail past.

"Interrogation and torture. I'm going to torture you until you forfeit, Neji. But, I'm not totally without mercy. If you give up now, I won't do anything to you. The only thing that will be hurt is your pride."

Before the injured boy could say anything, Naruto tilted too far forward and fell toward the Hyuuga. Neji, taking this as a sign that fate was still on his side, lashed out with his right palm and struck the blonde in the chest. His eyes widened when the golden-haired ninja poofed out of existence and a deep cut was made on his outstretched right arm. He howled in pain and pulled it back, cradling it with his left. It was useless now.

"Come now, Neji. You didn't really think that I'd get that close to you with you still able to do things to me, did you? Only one limb left. I'd suggest you forfeit. That's all you have to say. 'I forfeit'."

The Byakugan user sucked in a breath and blinked away the tears of pain that threatened to fall. He had never been laid so low in his life. He was just about to say that he gave up, when he looked into the stands and saw Hiashi and his pride got in the way. He, a Hyuuga, would never allow himself to say those words. He'd rather die first. His answer was low and said between gritted teeth.

"Never."

Naruto sighed and took measured steps around his foe till he stood in front of him. Neji was a sorry looking sight, but he never truly stood a chance. With his kekkei genkai, the Hyuuga couldn't touch him. To his dissatisfaction, he found himself enjoying sessions like these. He couldn't tell if it was the Kyuubi's influence or Anko's or just his own perverse pleasure at the feeling of control…

…Probably all three. But that was neither here nor there. Naruto took a deep breath and fixed his blue eyes on his beaten enemy.

"If it makes you feel any better, Neji, if I didn't have this power, then I probably would have never laid hands on you. You would have beaten me more than likely. But then again, we'll never know. Last chance."

Hatred-filled white eyes were his only answer.

"Suit yourself. This is for being an ass for the past few years."

Before he could even prepare himself, Neji heard the blonde say 'Fuuton: Daitoppa' and he was flung into the wall of the arena, the second time in two days. His lungs emptied themselves of air as the wall behind him spider-webbed, but before he could breathe, Naruto was on him, landing blow after blow.

The crowd watched in stunned silence as the Hokage's grandson pummeled the Hyuuga branch heir mercilessly. Not a sound was heard until a cry came from Naruto and he stumbled back, cradling his right arm. Neji collapsed to the ground, his breathing shaky and his body battered. Naruto frowned and looked at his limp arm.

"That was stupid of me. I forgot about your left arm. Oh well, it doesn't matter. Forfeit, Neji."

The quietest whisper came from the Hyuuga's lips.

"N-never."

The whiskered boy let out a deep sigh and took his knife in his left hand in a reverse grip. Before he could knock the downed boy in the forehead with the pommel, however, a stone grip caught his wrist and he turned to find Genma.

"It's over. I should have called this long ago, but it's over now. Return to the balcony."

Naruto looked from the proctor to his barely conscious opponent and back again. He silently nodded and walked toward the stairway. Genma looked down at the Hyuuga boy and shook his head.

"You should have forfeited when you had the chance. You wouldn't be like that right now if you had."

"F-fate…"

"Had nothing to do with it, Neji. Winner, Uzumaki Naruto!"

Naruto paid no attention to the crowd as it roared its approval. He knew whose opinions mattered most. He could practically feel Kurenai and Anko's smiles off to his side and he could imagine the cheers and shouts of his friends. He stopped at the entrance to the stairway and looked back to the Kage booth. Sarutobi had the faintest of smiles on his faces and gave one short nod of acceptance. Naruto nodded back and continued up the stairs to the balcony.

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Sarutobi's small smile stayed on his face as he turned to the Kazekage.

"That was an…interesting match, to say the least."

"Yes. Who would have known that your grandson could be so vicious?"

Sarutobi popped his back against the stone chair and watched as the medics took Neji off the field. The boy could have stood to have some humility beat into him, but Naruto simply wasn't the one to do it this time.

"My grandson only did what he thought was necessary. I'm disappointed that he didn't press the advantage when he had Neji caught at that one point and I'll speak with him of it when the exams are over. Mistakes like that are costly. When you have the enemy caught, you should not let them go."

The Kazekage smirked beneath his mask.

_'Yes, you know all about past mistakes, don't you?'_

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Ino and Kiba highfived each other each other and cheered as their teammate made his way off the field. Sakura stared at the two of them as if they'd grown two heads and then turned to Hinata.

"Aren't you disturbed by what he just did? He beat Neji."

Hinata had the tiniest frown on her face as she answered.

"I'm not happy with how he won, but I am happy he won. Neji-niisan wouldn't submit any other way. I didn't know that Naruto-kun was so brutal though."

Kiba grinned and leaned back in his seat, his hands behind his head.

"Eh, all of Team Eight has killed already. What Naruto did is nothing compared to what he's done on missions before."

Sakura gasped.

"You mean, all three of you have killed?"

A deep sigh and the crunching of chips from behind her brought her attention to Shikamaru, Chouji, and Shino. Shikamaru gave her a look of annoyance.

"Most teams have their first kill within the first six months to the first year of missions. That's why we're trained young and taught young. The younger a mind is, the better it adapts to new ideas and situations, such as taking a life."

Chouji stuffed his face again and nodded in agreement. Shino merely stared ahead. Sakura looked over to the competitor's balcony in time to see Naruto emerge from the doorway.

"He just seemed so scary. Like he was enjoying it."

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Anko giggled to herself as she watched her part-time student walk off the field.

"Ah, that was beautiful. We've taught him so well."

Kurenai snorted in an unladylike manner.

"We? I believe that he got that sadist streak from you."

Anko put her hand over her heart in mock-hurt.

"Me? A sadist? I'm offended, Kure-chan. After all, genjutsu is just as sadistic as physical harm. You're messing with people's minds."

Kurenai turned her nose up and stared back out at the arena.

"I have no clue what you're talking about."

"Of course you don't."

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Naruto put one hand on the doorframe as he walked onto the balcony. Standing in each corner of the platform were the last competitors of the Chuunin Exams. Sasuke, Lee, and Gaara all stared at him hard as he walked over and stood in his own corner. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest, locking eyes with each of his opponents in turn. The four began exchanging a series of glares as they began to size each other up.

"Would Rock Lee and Uchiha Sasuke please come to the arena?"

Rock Lee was shaking with anticipation as he barreled past everyone on his way to the floor. Sasuke tucked his hands in his pockets and casually strolled to the stairway. Before he passed out of sight, he turned to Naruto and sneered.

"Don't get comfortable. I'll be back soon and then…we'll see who's better."

Naruto's face was a blank slate and Sasuke grimaced slightly at the lack of reaction. He turned his nose up and walked out, leaving Naruto and Gaara alone. The two jincuuriki caught each other's eyes and glared at one another. The air in the room became heavier and heavier as the two's animosity began to compound and fill it. Gaara' smile became larger the more Naruto's frown deepened.

"After this, it's just two hours till your death. I'd suggest you use that time wisely."

Naruto merely stared ahead.

"What's the matter? You were so strong in your convictions earlier. No threats to my person?"

The blonde jinchuuriki merely stared ahead. Gaara's grin began to reach his eyes and his sand stirred.

"The other guy doesn't matter, you know. I'm going to kill you. You're the one Mother wants."

Silence was his answer. Gaara decided that a bit more pushing was in order. Anger and frustration were almost as palpable as blood, after all.

"Once I'm done killing you, maybe I'll start on that Hyuuga girl you seem to have a thing for. Or your blonde teammate, perhaps. Their blood might not be as tasty as yours, but Mother does not often taste the blood of females."

"Stop talking. You sound desperate for attention."

Gaara closed his eyes, hearing the whisper of Mother.

"You'll be the best blood Mother has ever tasted."

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Sasuke and Lee stood across from each other, ready to start the fight. Genma raised his hand and let it drop quickly, jumping out of the way to avoid becoming involved in the fray.

Lee's face was the perfect example of seriousness as he settled into the Goken stance. To his utter surprise, Sasuke settled into the same stance, mirroring him to a 't'. Lee's mouth turned down into a frown and he shifted slightly.

"It's not polite to mock your opponent, Sasuke-san. I thought you learned that when we first met."

Sasuke smirked and tightened his stance.

"I didn't respect you then as a ninja and I don't respect you now. You surprised me the first time, but I'm able to keep up with you now. You don't have a chance. My Sharingan can see your movements."

"We shall see."

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Gai was livid. No, livid wasn't strong enough a word. Gai was infuriated. Everyone around him could feel his murderous aura as he turned to face Kakashi.

"Uchiha Sasuke couldn't have learned the Goken style in the little amount of time when he and Lee fought before the first test. Did you teach that boy my Goken?"

"Yes."

Gai closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. Kurenai and Anko were ready to jump in at any second to stop a fight and Asuma had made his way over after feeling the disturbance. Gai opened his eyes and Kakashi shuddered slightly from the coldness behind them.

"That is a style that I created after hours of countless training. Lee learned that style from me after hours of blood and sweat. I know that you picked it up from me after fighting me so many times but I thought you had more honor than to teach it without my permission."

Kakashi cut his one visible eye to Gai and shrugged.

"We're ninja, Gai. We practice deception and trickery. My student needed an edge and I gave it to him."

"Have you ever heard of honor amongst thieves, Kakashi?"

When Kakashi didn't answer, Gai's frown deepend.

"I'll deal with you later, Kakashi. You and I have much to speak of. This is not over between us."

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Lee didn't like being mocked. He'd had enough of it in his life already. Now he had the means to do something and he had to watch as someone trod all over his hard work. Gai-sensei had worked with him for over a year and a half to make up for his shortcomings. His sensei had taught him his prized Goken style and Lee was very good at it. His sensei had put so much work into helping him become an excellent ninja, even if he was limited to taijutsu only.

And now, here before him, stood someone who was stepping all over his hard work by assuming their style and insinuating that he was better at it because he had learned it quicker. He couldn't stand for that. He wouldn't stand for that. With a slight crunch of the dirt beneath his feet, Lee launched himself forward.

Sasuke smirked as he watched Lee come forward, his Sharingan showing him the path that the boy would take. He blocked Lee's kick and grunted when the blow landed. It felt like he'd just been hit with a bag of bricks. Lee planted his hands and spun his legs around, but Sasuke ducked under the strike and punched Lee in the solar plexus. The green-clad boy rolled with the blow and sprang back to his feet, putting distance between them again.

Sasuke grinned and stood upright again, returning to the Goken stance. Lee's wide eyes blinked and he brought his right hand forward, motioning for Sasuke to come forward this time. The Uchiha obliged and Lee began to block the blows, occasionally trying to land his own, but having them blocked. In frustration, Lee's blows became more and more frantic and his teeth gritted harder every time Sasuke ducked him. He lashed out with a straight kick to Sasuke's stomach and the boy caught it, grunting in exertion and threw Lee to the side, where he he backflipped away to the other side of the arena.

The Sharingan wielder held his left wrist gingerly with his right hand. He hadn't blocked that time, but catching the boy's foot hadn't been a good idea either. He looked across the ground to where Lee was crouched, contemplating his next move. Before Lee could stand back to his feet again, a shout came from the stands.

"Lee! Take them off! That's an order!"

Lee turned wide-eyes to his sensei, his mouth slightly open. He'd been told to never do that, unless the situation was dire. But his sensei had ordered it. He nodded his head and pulled his leg warmers down, revealing weighted pouches. He saw Sasuke roll his eyes and scowled. So, he thought it was a joke huh? Lee unsnapped the weights and stood back up, feeling lighter already. He let the weights unroll with loud clanks and glared at Sasuke.

"Is that supposed to intimidate me? You can't be serious."

Lee's answer was a grin as he spun like a discuss thrower and let go of the weights. Sasuke felt the breeze as they flew past him and started to speak when he heard two explosions and turned to find a good part of the wall decimated. He turned back just in time to see Lee disappear and felt a sharp pain in his jaw. The boy with the bowl haircut stood with his arm outstretched as his opponent flew backward and into the holes he'd made with his weights.

Sasuke flew out of the hole immediately. He hadn't even seen where the blow would come from. No amount of weights should make that much difference. If only he could evolve his Sharingan to the next stage. He'd thought that perhaps it would have gone to the second tomoe when he fought with Orochimaru, but it hadn't happened. He threw a punch at Lee and it was knocked aside and a kick launched into his gut. Spittle erupted from his mouth as he hit the ground, clutching his stomach.

Lee waited for him to get up, his right hand forward and his left behind his back. No one made light of his sensei's taijutsu. He watched the Uchiha crawl to his feet. Rock Lee was not a cruel person. He liked to fight with a sense of dignity. He hadn't gotten to use this move against Sasuke last time, but he felt that his restrictions were lifted in this instance. The wrappings around his wrist began to unravel and Lee vanished again.

Sasuke had just gotten his bearings when his chest erupted as if it was on fire and he felt the sensation of weightlessness as he was launched into the air. As oxygen rushed back into his lungs, he found he remembered this feeling from once before. This was what Lee had done to him back before the first test. With gritted teeth, he turned and found the green-clad boy underneath him, his face impassive.

"There will be no one to save you this time from my Lotus!"

The wrappings began to reach for him and Sasuke quickly formed three handseals out of Lee's view. He finished just as the bandages constricted around him and electricity crackled around his hand, burning through the wrappings covering his right hand, allowing it to get free. Lee had no warning and nowhere to go as Sasuke pivoted and thrust his right hand into the boy's left shoulder.

The crowd gasped as Lee screamed in pain and many stood when he fought through the pain and wrapped his right arm around the bound form of Sasuke. The Uchiha realized too late what the normally happy boy was planning.

"I won't be the only one to fail! Omote Renge!"

The stadium was totally silent as the two boys impacted the ground, dust kicking up in a giant plume. No one even dared to breathe as the dust settled, revealing two bodies lying in the middle of a crater. Genma carefully made his way forward and peeked over the edge, rolling his senbon in his mouth as he did.

"Anybody alive in there?"

Two groans were his answer. Lee slowly struggled to his knees, his breathing labored. He looked like hell. Casting a glance over to Sasuke revealed him to be barely struggling witht the bandages. He'd been dropped on his head rather hard and more than likely had a concussion, but he was still awake, a testament to how tough the boy actually was. Lee eventually made it to his feet and stumbled over to the other boy.

Sasuke watched Lee approach and doubled his efforts to get loose. No matter how much he wiggled though, the wrapping would not relinquish its hold. He watched helplessly as Lee straddled his stomach and held his hand up over his head in a fist. The threat was obvious despite the boy's bleary eyes.

"Give up, Sasuke-san."

Sasuke struggled a bit more, his teeth nearly cracking from the pressure of him biting back his words. He was just like Neji. His pride wouldn't allow him to admit defeat. Lee's hand shook and he thrust it forward, straight for Sasuke's nose, when a voice stopped him.

"Enough! This match is over. The winner is Rock Lee."

The crowd watched as Lee struggled back to his feet, a large grin on his face as he searched the audience for his sensei. He gave Gai a weak thumbs up and collapsed on his back, a serene smile on his face. Everyone was stunned that a boy with no ties to any ninja family had beaten, even on technicality, a member of one of Konoha's elite families. What started as polite clapping soon erupted into full-blown cheers as the medics came onto the field and took both away. Lee's smile never left his face, even as he was placed onto a stretcher and carted out of the arena.

Genma turned to a seething Sasuke and shrugged under his glare.

"It was bad luck, kid. Don't worry though. Things still may look up for you. Getting a blow in on someone during an Omoto Renge is quite a feat. You've undoubtedly impressed people."

Sasuke merely shook in fury as the medics loaded him onto a stretcher. He couldn't believe that he'd lost. If he'd just had a few more moments then he could have gotten out of those bandages. Whoever commanded destiny must really hate him. Now he wouldn't get to fight Uzumaki. That chapped his ass to no end. He wanted to fight Uzumaki. He had to fight Uzumaki.

Before he lost sight of the competitor's balcony, he saw Gaara and Naruto in a staredown, completely ignoring him. He seethed more and closed his eyes.

He would have his fight, one way or the other.

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Sarutobi turned to the Kazekage, a grin evident around his pipe.

"Now that is a fight. Someone who came from nothing and beat a genius. Maito Gai must be having a field day. If you'll excuse me, Kazekage-dono, I'm going to announce the intermission. Feel free to have a meal at one of Konoha's premier restaurants on my tab."

The Kazekage nodded his head and stood.

"Thank you, Hokage-dono. I believe I'll do that. I'll see you back here in two hours."

Sarutobi watched the Kazekage leave and narrowed his eyes as the man rounded the corner.

_'You think me an old fool, don't you? But I know your game. I thought I taught you better…Orochimaru.'_

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Naruto and Gaara heard the Hokage announce the intermission, but neither one moved from their spot. Genma appeared on the rail in a crouch, looking from one jinchuuriki to the other.

"Be back here in two hours. You may do as you wish until then. I don't know if there will be a third competitor or not. Rock Lee was pretty beat up and the rules forbid healing between matches. In any event, be back here by the allotted time."

Genma disappeared in a shunshin, leaving the two alone again. Gaara grinned and his sand swirled around him.

"You should go to your family. Two hours should be enough to say goodbye."

Naruto snorted and leapt over the railing, landing on the arena floor below. He sat down cross-legged on the dirt, looking out over the destroyed grounds. A swirl of sand alerted him to Gaara's presence and he locked eyes with the redhead as he sat down, mimicking the blonde.

"Don't you have an asshole convention to be at?"

Gaara's grin stretched from ear to ear.

"Oh, how I'm going to enjoy this. Two hours is too much."

The two sat in silence after that, both contemplating what would happen.

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Ino and Sakura sat stunned at a restaurant with all their friends and senseis, Naruto noticeably absent. The rest of the group was chatting happily until Sakura's quiet voice broke through.

"I can't believe Sasuke-kun lost to Lee. Sasuke is a genius. He should've been able to beat Lee."

Kurenai looked over to the girl and smiled.

"That's part of the life of a ninja, Sakura. Surprises happen all the time and you never know what aces the other shinobi is holding. Sasuke got taken by surprise and lost. He'll have plenty of chances to prove himself again."

"But…"

Kakashi looked up from his book and gave the pink-haired girl an eye smile.

"Now, now, Sakura. I'm sure we'll get to hear all about how Sasuke is going to get back at Lee. It's just too bad he lost. Now he won't get to face Naruto."

Kurenai's small smile turned into a predatory grin.

"Yes, about that Kakashi. I believe I won our bet. Now, I just need to think of a proper way for you to pay."

"I believe the wording was 'when Naruto and Sasuke meet'. They didn't meet, so the deal is null and void. Sorry, Kurenai."

The red-eyed woman seethed and glared at the one-eyed man.

"That's cheating, Kakashi. We had a deal."

"Yes, but that's how it was worded. That was the deal."

Anko took a bite of her dango and chewed it, talking with her mouth full.

"You're an ass. What a shitty way to get out of a bet."

"I'm a ninja. What'd you expect?"

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Naruto had been meditating with his eyes closed when he felt a familiar weight land on his head. He cracked one eye open to find Gamakichi.

**Hey, bro. That was a really good fight. Much better than your one with the lazy ass.**

**Gamakichi, language. Don't make me tell your father.**

**Yes, Fukasaku-sama.**

Naruto glaned across the arena to where Gaara sat against the wall, totally ignoring the preceedings and mumbling to himself. The blonde spun around to find Fukasaku on Jiraiya's shoulder, both smiling at him.

"That was a hell of a fight, kid. I'm impressed with how you use that kekkei genkai of yours."

**Yes, it was a most interesting thing to watch. I, too, am impressed.**

"Thank you. Now, what business do you have with me?"

Jiraiya put a hand to his chin and rubbed at the slight stubble that resided there.

"We've just come to basically tell you that if you need any help, all you have to do is ask. We're here to help."

Fukasaku nodded his head in agreement.

**Indeed. We just wish you to know that we still want you to be our summoner. We have much we could teach you and you have much you could help us with. Please keep that in mind.**

"Oh, I made my decision a long time ago."

Jiraiya and the toads were taken aback by that.

"You did? What was your decision?"

Naruto grinned and wagged a finger.

"Nuh uh uh. The deal was that I'd tell you after the exams. Not before."

Jiraiya nodded his head and sighed. He only hoped that there would be an 'after'. He smiled at Naruto and gave him a cheesy thumbs up.

"Good luck then, kiddo. I'll be watching."

Jiraiya walked off with Fukasaku, leaving Gamakichi behind with Naruto. The blonde looked up between his strands of hair to the little toad.

"Aren't you gonna go with them?"

**Nah, I'll hang around with you until the fight starts. I'd rather be around someone my own age.**

"I can understand that."

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Kabuto stepped into the hospital and smiled as he waved to the nurses. His adoptive father being a senior in the medical field gave him a few advantages as far as coming and going went. His mission at the moment was to go see Uchiha Sasuke. He saw the two ANBU stationed outside the boy's room and smiled as he greeted them.

"ANBU-san. I'd like to see Sasuke-kun if I could. I wanted to see how he was doing."

"Uchiha Sasuke is not taking any visitors at the moment. Please leave."

Kabuto's smile never left his face.

"I'm sorry to hear that but I really need to see Sasuke-kun."

Before the ANBU could move, they were dead on the floor, and Kabuto wiped the blood from the scalpel he had used. He dragged the bodies inside and used one of the ANBU's cloaks to wipe up the excess blood. It only took a few moments and no one noticed. Sasuke was asleep on his bed, a frown on his face. Kabuto's grin widened as he shook the boy awake.

"What do you want, Kabuto-san?"

"Hello, Sasuke-kun. I'm here to make you an offer."

Sasuke eyed the dead ANBU on the floor and then turned his attention back to the young man before him.

"You're not a Konoha ninja, are you?"

"Very good. No, I'm not. I'm here on behalf of Orochimaru-sama. I'm here to make you an offer."

Sasuke rubbed his neck and frowned.

"And that would be?"

"Come with us and we can offer you power. You've seen how powerful my master is. You know that none can stand against him. I'm extending an offer to join us and let us give you power. Power enough to accomplish your goals."

"And why would I do that? I have a powerful sensei."

"Hai, but he's not as powerful as Orochimaru-sama and he never will be. Besides, your goals don't have to be accomplished exclusively in Konoha, do they? Think about it, Sasuke-kun. This is the last time we'll meet each other in Konoha. But I await you in Otogakure."

Sasuke blinked when the boy leapt out the window and looked down at his hands. He hadn't even given thought to joining Orochimaru since he'd been given the seal. But what Kabuto said had made sense. He didn't have to be in Konoha to avenge his brother. Nor did he have to be there to avenge his clan. Kakashi was a good teacher and he taught Sasuke powerful techniques, but he was lazy and didn't rush anything. He needed power now, not in the future.

He'd be using Orochimaru just as Orochimaru would use him. He could use the man's knowledge to get what he wanted and then leave. He was no one's pawn.

The question was, did he want to betray his village as his brother had? That was the one thing that bothered him. He didn't want to be like his brother.

He needed to think on this.

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Naruto took a deep breath as he stood across from Gaara. Gamakichi had left before everyone started filing back in and there was no telling where the little toad had gone. Genma approached the two with caution, noticing the tension between them. The crowd stopped murmuring and waited for the onslaught to begin.

"All right, same rules as last time. I say stop, you stop. Don't make me have to step in, got it?"

The two didn't move, didn't even nod, and Genma raised his hand. As soon as it dropped, Gaara's sand rushed forward and Naruto melted into the ground. The sand swarmed around Gaara as he stood stoically, but his eyes were frantically searching for the blonde. Out of the ground behind him popped Naruto, as he aimed a kick at the insane boy's head. The sand blocked the move and he dove into the ground again.

All was quiet again as the sand floated in agitation and Gaara's crossed arms fell to his side. He wanted blood.

"Come out, Uzumaki! Come out or I'll target someone other than you!"

Naruto slowly emerged out of the wall and Gaara grinned.

"The fight is between you and me, Gaara. Getting disqualified won't make things any better."

"You think I care about this exam? I could care less! I just want you to DIE!"

The sand raced for Naruto and he waited till the last possible moment before leaping over it and running for Gaara. The sand that had been thrown turned around and headed for the blonde jinchuuriki. Before he reached Gaara, Naruto slid to a stop and watched as more sand came at him. Gaara stood with his hands outstretched, directing the granules. Just as the two clouds of sand reached him, he melted into the ground and they collided in a gigantic spray.

Gaara motioned for his sand to return and was suddenly rocked by a kick to his chin. His head snapped back up just in time to see his opponent disappear into the earth once more. His eyes widened in surprise as he rubbed his sore jaw. That boy had hit him. This strange sensation, the pulsating of his jaw, the uncomfortable feeling…it was totally alien…and it fueled his deranged needs.

"That…hurt. Yes, you're just what Mother needs!"

Naruto watched his foe's insane ramblings from below and shuddered. That had been a lucky blow. He wouldn't get many more like that, not unless he could neutralize that sand.

**This boy will not go down unless you kill him. You'll need to use deadly force.**

_'I don't need this right now. This is a competitive tournament.'_

**And he's going to kill you if he has the chance. The only way to avoid that is to strike to kill. This is all I shall say for the moment.**

_'Thanks. You've been oh-so-helpful.'_

Naruto moved to a far corner of the arena and as soon as his hands breached the surface, he made as many clones as he could. Gaara watched in glee and waited for what might come.

"Okay, do whatever you have to do to distract him! Jutsu, suicide runs, whatever! Just get that sand away from him! Make more clones if you think you're going to pop! Go!"

The clones ran forward, a small army rumbling across the arena, and Gaara sent his sand to spear through some of them. The jinchuuriki was intensely happy as he slew more and more clones. Mother would surely be sated with this one's blood. The more blondes he killed, the more that appeared. His sand was suddenly blown off course and he turned to find several of the clones launching wind jutsu at him. Part of the sand broke off and went around the windbreaks, slicing through the clones.

Gaara's smile steadily slipped as he dispelled more and more clones. When they weren't launching Fuuton: Daitoppa at him they were assaulting him with shuriken or trying to get close to engage him with taijutsu. At least ten had already pounded away on his sand shield and he was getting agitated. The sand around his legs began to fall away from him and joined the sand in the air, destroying clones.

Naruto saw the sand that covered his legs disappear and knew that this was his shot to at least hurt the guy. He moved as fast as he could through the earth, emerging right under Gaara with his knife drawn. The knife slid into Gaara's leg and all movement in the arena suddenly stopped.

Gaara shivered when he felt the cold steel slide into his flesh and looked down slowly. He saw the hand sticking out of the ground with the knife, just as it had done with the Hyuuga boy, except it had actually made it into his leg. His eyes widened with horror and his sand came rushing back to him when he screamed.

"My leg! It hurts! Mother, there's blood! My blood!"

Naruto jerked his field knife out of Gaara's leg, causing him to scream again, just before the sand came back. It encircled the ring-eyed boy like a protective cocoon as he bellowed to the heavens. Naruto melted out of the ground and stood with his clones in disbelief that someone, especially a ninja, would make that much fuss over a leg wound. The sand surrounding Gaara began to converge back onto his right side, his face contorting as it was covered.

Naruto gaped as the sand took form and made what appeared to be half of a tanuki head on Gaara, a piercing yellow eye staring back at him. The tanuki side of Gaara grinned, even as the human side continued to yell in pain. It raised its right arm and threw sand projectiles at the blonde. Naruto rolled to the side and came up running. He heard an explosion and turned to see part of the stadium missing and most of the audience fleeing. Before he could move, Gaara was in front of him, both sides now smiling.

A swipe from the sand arm sent him flying and he melted with the stadium wall as he touched it. He looked around frantically and found everyone fighting with Oto and Suna ninja. So…it was an invasion. He had heard that Suna had had it bad in the past few years, but to attack her ally? That was just foolhardy. His attention returned to Gaara when the wall he had melted into was destroyed by a sand arm and the boy bellowed.

"Come out, Uzumaki! Fight me! Prove my existence! Prove to me that I'm alive!"

He took a deep breath and stepped out of the wall. He could only hope that everyone else was doing all right. His place was here against a fellow jinchuuriki. He growled at Gaara to get his attention and flexed his claws, a glint of anger in his eyes.

"Let's go, you walking litter box!"

Gaara roared in reply.

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Sarutobi had heard the explosions and before he could think, an arm was around his neck and he was dragged onto the roof of a nearby building overlooking the arena. He cursed himself for not being more aware, but remained calm in his captor's arms.

"I'm disappointed in you. I had always assumed that you knew better."

The Kazekage chuckled to himself, his face still obscured by his mask.

"Well, your village is doing so well for itself and mine…"

"Drop the act. It doesn't become you, Orochimaru."

He felt the man behind him tense and the chuckling resumed.

"So…you knew all along. As I'd expect of you, sensei."

"It was foolish of you to come here, Orochimaru. You've given me the means to correct a mistake that I made so long ago. I know what you've been doing. Jiraiya is not as inept as you thought."

"The idiot is actually good at spying? Who would have ever thought with him being as loud as he is."

"Enough! Your games end here, Orochimaru!"

The Kyodaija smirked and leapt back, putting distance between himself and his sensei. Sarutobi watched as four ninja with the Oto rope belt landed on the roof and began a series of handsigns. Within seconds, a barrier was erected around him and Orochimaru. Orochimaru's smirk slowly dissolved when Sarutobi matched it with his own.

"I suppose that barrier is impenetrable, even to yourself? Good. That makes what I'm about to do all the better. Prepare yourself, Orochimaru. Today, I correct a mistake and you meet the Shinigami."

**Dun dun dun. Next chapter, more goodness. Let me know what you think.**

**_Oh yeah, Kyodaija= Great Snake_**


	29. The TwentyFifth Principle

And here's Chapter 29. I hope you guys enjoy this one. I worked hard on it. Readers, Reveiwers, Thank You...**The End is Here**_ by Alter Bridge._

_On another note...my good friend and part-time pre-reader DarkHeroOrion would like to see a Naruto/Tenchuu Crossover. I think the idea has merit so I too am extending that challenge. He has the requirements for it on his bio page. If you're interested, just visit his page or hit him up. Thanks in advance._

**CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE**

Sarutobi had seen quite a bit in his long life. He'd seen war and peace, good times and bad times, birth and death. He'd seen good men die and bad men live. He'd seen the three genin he'd chosen to take under his wing rise to greatness. He'd seen the one before him, the one he'd poured so much hope into, fall from on high like a shooting star. He'd watched as Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage, sacrificed himself to save their beloved village.

He'd watched helplessly as the great demon, Kyuubi no Youkou, was sealed into his grandson. He'd watched that boy grow with happiness. He'd showed him his first jutsu, dealt him his first blow, taught him almost everything there was to know about being a Hokage. He was sure that Naruto could run the office better than he could. He'd seen so much in his lifetime.

But he'd never seen the things his former student was showing him…and it horrified him.

The young boy he'd once taught had grown into a terrible man. He'd sacrificed so many for his dream of immortality, not caring whether or not their lives were worth anything. The poor girl whose body he inhabited at the moment had undoubtedly been one of his servants, someone who trusted him body and soul, and it had cost her just that. The old Hokage had been appalled at this realization.

That's why his heart sank when he realized what exactly Orochimaru was doing now.

The Sannin smirked as the coffins rose from the rooftops, watching with unmitigated glee as Sarutobi's face twisted in abject terror. His smirk lessened slightly when the third coffin began to rise and slowly began to stop.

Hiruzen had seen the kanji written on the coffins and immediately had sprung into action. He had not acted in time to stop the first and second ones from rising, but he would stop the third. He hurled a few shuriken, using them in tandem with 'Kage Shuriken no Jutsu', and nailed the lid shut while forcing it back down to the depths of the underworld.

He seethed as he did this. If that coffin, bearing the kanji for 'Fourth' upon it contained what he thought it too, then he had to stop it no matter what. He would not let Orochimaru remind the citizens of Konoha of what they had lost. He would not subject his soldiers to seeing their beloved lost leader once again. And above all, he would not let his predecessor see the light of day again because of the pain it would cause Naruto. If he did nothing else today, he would not let that abomination come forth for Orochimaru's twisted designs.

The Kyodaija scowled as his third coffin sank back into the netherworld. He'd wanted that one to succeed most of all. He'd even gone to great lengths to find a body suitable enough to provide as a medium for the Yondaime's soul. With a shrug of the shoulders, his smirk returned and he raised his two tagged kunai. But first, he'd let the old people blubber on. Seeing his sensei so distraught was quite amusing.

The Brothers Senju looked around the area slowly, their bodies sluggish and minds unfocused. A being before them caught their attention and they slowly realized who it was before them. A deep sigh escaped the Shodai's lips.

"Hiruzen…have the years caught up to you so badly? Look at you."

The Nidaime nodded his head and gave Sarutobi a small smile.

"You look like hell, my boy. Tell me; is the cause of your sorrow this whelp behind us?"

The Sandaime's face was the epitome of sorrow as he cast weary eyes upon his teachers. The Shodai bowed his head in acknowledgment.

"Then we are bound to fight you. I apologize, Hiruzen."

"Seeing the two of you like this again…it's almost like a dream, no, a nightmare. I hope you can forgive me for what I am about to do, Hashirama-sama, Tobirama-sensei."

Before the first two Hokage could reply, Orochimaru jammed the kunai into their heads and chuckled as the jutsu began to take hold, the light disappearing from the two resurrected men's eyes.

"Old folks time is over. It's time to see if you can live up to your boast from earlier, sensei. I believe you said something about making me meet the Shinigami?"

Sarutobi watched as his mentors slowly began to tread toward him and quickly made the hand signs for Kuchiyose no Jutsu. In a burst of smoke, an aged monkey appeared, looking most disgruntled, and the advancing dead men stopped. Enma observed the scene before him and snorted.

**I see at last that it has come down to this. Tell me, Sarutobi, are those two who I think they are?**

Sarutobi let out a mournful sigh and nodded.

"Hai, they are. My wayward student used the forbidden Edo Tensei to resurrect their spirits."

**Such a vulgar use of jutsu. I will help you in this, Sarutobi, but you must promise me that Orochimaru will die this day.**

Sarutobi held his hand out to his side, his face grim.

"That is a promise I intend to keep, old friend. Enma! I have need of the Kongou-Nyo!"

Enma said no more as he leapt onto a rock, transformed into his staff form, and flew into Sarutobi's waiting hand. Orochimaru cackled as the two walking corpses advanced on his sensei once again. Things were getting interesting.

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Naruto slashed at Gaara with his field knife and dodged another tendril of sand. He'd thought that as more and more sand piled around the boy, his mobility would be lessened and that the sand would be less of a threat. He couldn't have been more wrong. The sand was as autonomous as ever; it just didn't go as far as before because it was slowly encasing the deranged jinchuuriki in a tanuki-like shell.

The insane toothy smile on the sand tanuki's face had not left since it had appeared and it was starting to unnerve Naruto the more time went on. This was a miniature Shukaku in the making, the beginnings of a total possession by one's bijuu. The voice was still Gaara's at the moment, so that meant Naruto still had a semblance of a chance to shut this down before it got out of hand. A rampaging bijuu in the middle of his village was not what he needed.

A quick glance in his grandfather's direction revealed him and Orochimaru battling back and forth. A tiny glint of pride flared that Sarutobi could still hang with a younger man at his age, but it was squashed by the severity of his current situation. Gaara was slowly losing it and the situation was becoming more dangerous.

He swiftly made more clones and directed them to distract Gaara while he came up with a new idea. Using Fuuton: Daitoppa was useless against him since he was from Suna and more than likely had had it used against him before. None of the other clones he knew would be any better than Kage Bunshin. Suirou no Jutsu was ineffective. He'd just tear right through it. The only thing Naruto had going for him at the moment was that the insane lad was getting progressively slower with the more weight the sand added to him.

Gaara hurled a few more sand projectiles at his clones and dispelled several of them. The rest were at a loss for what to do and served as fodder for Gaara. Naruto growled and flipped his knife to a forward position. Standing around was getting him nowhere. It was time to do what he did best. He formed as many clones as he could muster and they all rushed forward, knives drawn.

The miniature Shukaku grinned as the horde rushed him, but that was quickly lost when they all disappeared into the earth. He never saw the attack coming from beneath him as ten clones came flying out of the ground, lifting him skyward. Twenty more clones followed closely behind and as the apex of their flight was reached and Gaara began to fall, the clones beneath were dispelled with a swipe of his tail. The clones still above him jammed all of their knives down into his right side, the simulated steel made of chakra becoming caught in the sand's iron grip.

Gaara had been about to grin triumphantly at the clones when they all smirked and flipped him onto his stomach in mid-fall, while planting all their weight onto his back. Gaara's black and yellow eyes widened when he saw what awaited him on the ground. Beneath him were probably a hundred arms, all with knives held upward to skewer him. Some were held higher than the others and these had explosive tags attached to the field knives while the knives closer to the ground were reinforced by another hand, holding it steady.

Naruto waited in the ground and watched as Gaara fell to the ground at a quickening pace. His clones all stiffened their joints and reinforced their arms with chakra as much as possible right before the jinchuuriki slammed home onto the bed of steel.

The sand did an admirable job of protecting Gaara's vitals, condensing until it was harder than steel and nearly three inches thick. But that left certain spots more vulnerable than others and his arms and legs, weakened by the concussion blasts of the explosive tags, were ran through. He was silent for but a moment before the pain caught up to his brain's receptors and an unearthly scream came from deep inside him.

"NO! NO! NO MORE! I WON'T LET MYSELF DISAPPEAR BECAUSE OF YOU!"

The sand swept out over the arena, crushing all the clones' arms and dispelling them, and crushed the walls, disintegrating them and pounding them back to dust. The newly ground sand was swept up by Gaara's normal sand and began to converge beneath the boy. Quicker than the eye could follow, it built up in swirls, forming the full-fledged body of Shukaku, the eyes devoid of any life. Naruto watched in horror as the redheaded boy huffed and puffed from his position, stuck in the forehead of the enormous tanuki, and formed a hand sign.

Gaara could hear the screams of the people as they ran to and fro trying to escape. He hadn't been pushed to reveal his demon in such a long time but this Uzumaki Naruto made it necessary. He could hear the demonic whispers of reassurance in his ear from Mother and nodded his head as he slowly closed his eyes, allowing the jutsu to take hold of him.

The darkness felt so wonderful, the sensation of sleep as its black tendrils closed around him heaven on his burdened form.

And Shukaku screamed to life, its eyes flashing with unbridled glee…

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The five inhabitants of the barrier stopped in their battle amidst the forest that the Shodai had created and looked out at the enormous form of the Sand Spirit. Orochimaru cackled in delight that his plan was working. The demonic aura washed over them, even inside the barrier, and he knew that his designs were coming to fruition.

He looked over to his elderly sensei with smug satisfaction. The man was worthy of his titles, that was without doubt. Even at his age, he was holding off two of the greatest shinobi ever, but he was waning. Enma could only do so much and his sensei's old bones couldn't run forever. The guillotine would drop soon enough on the old man's neck.

Sarutobi panted as he watched the Shodai and Nidaime advance again. He and Enma had done everything to try to curb them. He'd used explosive tags to disintegrate them and they had reformed. He'd beat them, disfigured them, knocked their heads from their bodies and they had grown back. He'd used fire, he'd used water, earth, wind, lighting, everything at his disposal and nothing had worked.

Well, not everything. There was still that one thing he had left and he figured now was the time to use it. He sat Enma down on one end to his side and caught his breath.

"I want you to know, Orochimaru, that you are not the only one who can use forbidden jutsu. I've prepared for your coming."

The former Sannin smirked and folded his arms in amusement.

"Then show me, sensei. Show me this forbidden jutsu."

Sarutobi scowled and pulled his helmet from his head. A small purple diamond seemed to be tattooed into his forehead and Orochimaru quirked an eyebrow.

"Is that it? That little diamond is your ace in the hole?"

Sarutobi held up a small red pill between his thumb and index finger.

"Do you know what this is?"

A scoff came from the pale man.

"Of course I do. It's a soldier pill."

"Hai, it is. And it will be instrumental in your downfall."

Orochimaru watched as his sensei popped the pill into his mouth and felt the small swoosh as the old man's chakra spiked. His eyes widened further when the diamond on Sarutobi's head began to glow and shining tendrils began to make their way down the man's body. The Kyodaija's mind raced through what this could be. The symptoms were similar to what his Cursed Seal's recipients went through, but there was something different.

Orochimaru, his Sound Four, and the Konoha ANBU outside the barrier all watched with fascination as the tendrils reached all over Sarutobi's body and then began to recede again. Orochimaru sucked in a breath when he realized that as the glowing tendrils made their way back to the diamond, the skin tightened and began to gain a youthful color, the liver spots and wrinkles disappearing. Within moments the transformation was complete and before everyone stood a transformed Hokage.

Hiruzen took a deep breath and rolled his neck. He hadn't felt this good in years. A quick glance down revealed his smooth hands and arms. Running his fingers over them revealed that it was indeed his own flesh and not an illusion. A smile crawled across his face before it was replaced by a look of sheer contempt. His voice had a more youthful timbre to it as he spoke.

"You are not the only one who can fool time, Orochimaru. My body has been regenerated for a short period, but that is all I shall need. I did not gain the titles my enemies gave me by resting on my laurels. Let me show you how I gained those names!"

**Sarutobi…what have you done?**

The Hokage glanced down at Enma as he kept an eye on the newly advancing past Hokage.

"I've given us a chance at a great cost. Come, Enma. We have few options left open to us and I fear that today I damn four souls to an eternity of pain."

Enma said nothing as Sarutobi held him again in youthful hands. The two past Hokage sprang for him and Hiruzen spun forward, clipping the Nidaime at the ankles and sending him sprawling to the floor as he brought the staff upward and into the chin of the Shodai. As the one man fell and the other ascended, Sarutobi made two clones to keep them occupied while he went after Orochimaru.

He hadn't made it two steps when a beastly, inhuman roar floated to his ears and he saw Orochimaru grit his teeth in fury. He turned expecting the worst and his heart sank to the deepest pits of his stomach.

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Naruto looked up at the towering Shukaku and shuddered. He'd known the bijuu were frightening creatures, but this? This was beyond what he had thought. What must those who fought the Kyuubi all those years ago have thought when they saw its terrible might?

He shook his head and looked upon it again. Gaara swung bonelessly from the beast's forehead. He was the key to all this. The jailor had let the prisoner out and it needed to be locked up again. Gaara was the key and gatekeeper all in one. Naruto assumed that he had to wake him up again. But how?

The Shukaku let out a happy squeal and looked around its surroundings.

**Wheeeeee! Free at last! Oooooh, and he let me out in a toy box! Look at all the little toy soldiers! They look so killable!**

Naruto watched in abject horror as the Sand Spirit lifted an enormous foot and slammed it down onto the nearest group of shinobi, a mixture of Oto, Suna, and Konoha ninja that had been fighting. The poor fools hadn't even known what hit them as they were crushed. The Shukaku tilted its head to the side as it lifted its foot again, apparently having an argument with Gaara.

**I don't care what you want; it's my turn to drive! Oh? Oooooh! That one? Really? Yes, child, Mother ****is**** pleased. I'm sure his blood is delicious!**

As the Shukaku turned its attention to Naruto, all he could think about were his comrades that had been crushed like so many ants. He lips twitched in anger and he glared at the ground. Unbeknownst to him, red chakra was beginning to seep out and bubble around him. His fangs began to lengthen and poked out fully over his bottom lip and his hands, clenched tightly into fists, began to bleed as his elongating claws dug into his palms.

Shukaku sucked in its breath, its gut expanding to several times an imaginable size, as it lifted its right arm high overhead. It slammed the arm into its gut with great force, expelling a screaming ball of wind at the blond. Naruto didn't seem to notice the giant sphere as it hurtled toward him until it was too late. He looked up, seeing the distortion of the air, and his eyes widened in shock. But before he could move, an enormous explosion of smoke blew over the area and he found himself staring at the back of an enormous toad carrying a battle-fork and a shield, blocking the massive air current from reaching him.

Naruto stared up in wonder at the toad as it looked down at him.

**You're not as big as I thought you'd be. **

A hearty croak was heard from atop the toad's head and Naruto's eyes were drawn to a smiling Fukasaku with Gamakichi beside him.

**He's big enough, Gamaken. Leave him be.**

Naruto couldn't even ask Fukasaku and the toad named Gamaken what they were doing or why they were helping him, when a high-pitched whine came from the Shukaku.

**Aw, man! You're such a buzz-kill! Now I have to find a new toy to slaughter! I guess you'll have to do, Frog!**

Gamaken blocked a swipe of a sandy arm and thrust at it with his sasumata. Shukaku let it hit his body and cackled when it did no damage. The large toad dodged a swing from the Sand Demon's tail and several more ninja were crushed as it violently struck the ground.

The red chakra, which had begun to recede when Naruto had focused on the toads, came back full force when he saw his fellow ninja struck down. It bubbled to the surface and encircled him, lying across his skin like a suit of armor. The anger and hatred it contained were almost palpable, intertwined with his own. The Kyuubi might not be able to escape, but it enjoyed a fight that was guaranteed to be big. It whispered inside Naruto's mind, giving him that little extra push.

**Are you going to let them all die? Especially those you hold dear? Will you stand by and let it happen? Or will you use what Destiny gave you and fight? Look at them, boy. Their bodies are crushed beneath Shukaku's feet and others lie broken and bloodied. Listen to his laughter. Doesn't it make your blood boil?**

Naruto's ears focused on the laughter of the Shukaku as it pushed Gamaken back again and into a building, toppling it over. His eyes widened. That had been a wartime shelter beneath it. What if those people were trapped? He couldn't stand by and let things carry on anymore.

He roared to the heavens as the cloak of red chakra covered him fully and in a flash he was gone, off to engage the Shukaku.

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Sarutobi bit back the bile threatening to come up from deep within him. He'd hoped to never see his grandson like that, a human version of the Kyuubi, his fangs and claws elongated and extended as he tore across the ground, roaring in fury. Unfortunately for Sarutobi, that momentary distraction had been enough for the Shodai and the Nidaime to deal with his clones and drag him back into battle.

The older man knew that his time was nearly up. The jutsu he was using had a high price, Tsunade's own Sozo Saisei that she had committed to the Forbidden Scroll. He'd never get the chance to thank her, but he was eternally grateful to his sole female student. He spun Enma again and ran for the Nidaime, catching the walking corpse making a familiar hand sign out of the corner of his eyes. He was too late, though, as the entire area went pitch black.

Sarutobi stopped running and whispered to Enma.

"Can you smell them, Enma?"

The Monkey King whispered back.

**No, this jutsu prevents all senses from working, even mine. You know that. We're in trouble, Sarutobi.**

The Hokage's young face scowled and his mind raced. He'd seen his mentor use this before and he knew how it worked. It obscured the senses to all those trapped within the darkness. There was only one recourse to rid himself of these two enemies and the mere thought of it broke his heart. These two didn't deserve it…and it would damn all four of the Hokage of Konoha to the belly of the Shinigami. He could only hope that they would forgive him.

As soon as that thought had left, he felt the air rush from his lungs as one of the walking dead planted a fist into his stomach. He felt Enma reach out for the offender, but whichever one had done it was gone again. Sarutobi sucked in some breath and knelt down.

"Enma, make a cage around me. I need a bit of time to prepare."

**What are you doing?**

"Just make the damn cage! I need time!"

Enma grunted and formed a cage around a kneeling Sarutobi, who formed two Kage Bunshin just outside of his protective shell. The two Kage Bunshin were ready for what they had to do as soon as they were made. Hiruzen took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he summoned the Shinigami.

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Shukaku blocked another thrust of Gamaken's war fork when a flash of red caught his black and gold eyes. The bijuu pushed the giant toad back and looked down at the little red dot running up his left leg.

**What the hell is this? A sand flea?**

A snarl was his answer as Naruto swiped at the leg with his field knife as he rushed upward. The red chakra coating that the Kyuubi provided was extended to the blade and Shukaku squealed when it cut deep.

**Aaaaa! That hurt, you little pipsqueak!**

The sand rose off its leg and Naruto leapt and twirled this way and that on his way to the Shukaku's head. He knew that Gaara had to be awake to contain the beast and he had to either knock him awake…or kill him. The bad thing was that he didn't know what killing him would do. It might unleash the beast fully. He hadn't seen the other boy's seal, so he didn't know if it was like his. Since the Shukaku was so prominent, it was probably a weak seal, barely holding the demon back.

He pirouetted past another tendril of sand and jumped as high as he could toward the left arm, missing it by several feet as Shukaku pulled it back. Naruto growled and made Kage Bunshin to slow his fall, the air rushing past him as his clones threw him back onto the torso. The sand rose to greet him and he slashed it to bits with his knife, not caring what happened as his feet connected and he continued his journey.

Shukaku screamed in fury at his inability to crush the little red insect crawling all over him and raised his right arm to crush Naruto against his body. Without warning, his right arm went flying off and landed on part of the southern district of Konoha in a spray of granules, the battle fork of Gamaken residing where the arm had been. The giant toad croaked in mirth.

**I may be slow, but I know how to fight. You let your guard down.**

Shukaku roared in anger and launched himself at the giant toad. Gamaken pulled his mancatcher back and pushed forward with all his might, slamming it completely through the Sand Spirit, and lifting the hefty beast over his head, slamming it into the ground. Unbeknownst to him, he had dislodged Naruto and the blond fell to the earth along with Shukaku.

The Kyuubi jinchuuriki's world was turned upside down when Gamaken slammed Shukaku and he cursed in a bestial voice as he fell to the ground. His eyes focused as he fell and he realized, to his good fortune, that the giant toad had flipped Shukaku so quickly that the bijuu's head was now directly beneath him. A toothy grin crossed his face as he realized that Gaara was within his grasp now. He plummeted toward his target with his fist ready to knock the boy awake.

**You should kill him.**

_'I don't know what'll happen if I do that. It could release Shukaku and we'll be right back where we started.'_

**Do as you will, then. I've said my peace.**

In a split second decision, Naruto flipped his knife over and angled it downward. Pain seemed to register with Gaara more than anything. And what was more painful? A punch to the face? Or a knife cutting through flesh?

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Sarutobi felt his skin crawl as the Shinigami appeared behind him, his own soul held hostage as it thrust its pale arm into it. The link established, it was time to begin his last act on this earth. With a silent prayer for forgiveness, he began to rise to his feet and Enma transformed back into his Kongou-Nyo. The two clones readied themselves for what was to come.

Within seconds, the two chakra constructs felt something slam into them and yelled out. Sarutobi rushed off to the side and swung Enma hard, the staff extending and slamming into the backs of the two reanimated Hokage. The clones grunted when the two men fell against them and grasped onto the corpses' shoulders, their iron grip giving no leeway. The Shinigami grinned around its dagger and reached further into Sarutobi's soul, using the clones as a medium.

As soon as the cold fingers of the Death God reached into the newly revived Hokage's bodies, the sealed kunai fell from the back of their heads and the light returned to their eyes. The two smiled at Sarutobi as the darkness began to recede and the Shodai glanced at the image of the Shinigami.

"Forgive us, Sarutobi, for bringing you such trouble."

The Nidaime closed his eyes and bowed his head.

"I pray, Hiruzen, that your wayward student will follow us into the embrace of death."

The Sandaime nodded grimly, a tear threatening to escape the corner of his eye.

"I did not wish this for any of us. May Kami-sama have mercy on all our souls."

He didn't even watch as the clones cried out 'Fuuin' and the souls of the past Hokage were ripped from their borrowed bodies. He felt the searing pain as the Shinigami ripped their souls through his own and fell to one knee to catch his breath. The darkness would not provide much more cover and he needed it for a surprise attack. He bent low and held Enma tight. This would be his last action ever as a Hokage.

Orochimaru watched anxiously as the darkness began to disappear. He couldn't see into it, but this was a sign of two things. Either his sensei was dead, or he had defeated the two former Hokage. That last outcome was unlikely, but not to be discounted. His yellow eyes roamed over the area, looking for any of the bodies. The first thing he saw was the ashen remains of the Shodai and the boy he had sacrificed to bring him back. The Kyodaija's hand flew up to make hand signs, but never got to make the first one.

Sarutobi burst out of the darkness from above with Enma at the ready. The staff extended and slammed down onto Orochimaru's arms, breaking the bones in two. The limbs fell limp against his side as his sensei landed before him and grasped onto his hands, holding him tight. The Shinigami grinned and reached further into Sarutobi's soul for his last two meals.

The Snake Sannin trembled when he felt something cold reach into him and his face twisted into a look of complete and utter terror when he saw the shimmering outline of the Shinigami become more tangible. He looked down at his shorter sensei just in time to see his own soul being pulled from his body. His teeth gritted in defiance. He would not be taken like this, not after all his plans were coming to fruition!

Sarutobi huffed and puffed, the strain being put on his own soul as a medium was starting to take its toll. The youth was leaving his body rapidly, the familiar cracks and crevices on his skin becoming evident. Orochimaru tried to move, but his arms wouldn't respond.

"I won't be killed like this! I have more to accomplish, you foolish old man! Do you know what you're doing?"

Sarutobi smirked as the Shinigami gave another tug and most of Orochimaru's arms were revealed.

"Yes, I do. I'm ridding the world of one of my mistakes. Prepare yourself, Orochimaru. I said you'd meet the Shinigami today and I'm going to be there with you for eternity!"

The pale man's mouth opened slightly as the Shinigami grinned at him and beckoned with one hand, eager to receive its meal. Orochimaru ground his teeth and glared at Sarutobi with as much hate as he could muster. He would not let himself die. He saw that the jutsu his former sensei had used was wearing off, and with it, his strength. Perhaps Sarutobi just needed a bit more of a push of despair.

"Since you are resigned to death, let me share a secret with you."

The ANBU outside the barrier were preparing for the worst. The commander watched as Orochimaru spoke with a sickening smirk on his face and ordered his men to get ready.

"As soon as that barrier comes down, we move in. Kill anyone that moves. Those are your orders."

A scream from Sarutobi brought their focus back to the fight.

"NOOOOO! DAMN YOU, OROCHIMARU!"

"IT'S NO LESS THAN YOU DESERVE, YOU OLD FOOL!"

Sarutobi had noticed that his strength was waning and realized that he wouldn't be able to pull his former student's soul completely from his body. It was something similar to what the Yondaime had run into with the Kyuubi. He'd just have to seal what he could. When Orochimaru told him his secret, however, his anger returned full force. He would seal as much as he could. He poured all his energy, all his focus, all of his anger into pulling the man's soul out.

The Shinigami pulled the dagger from its mouth and let its tongue run around the rim of its lips. Its hand, which was looped around Orochimaru's soul's wrists, pulled harder with Sarutobi's resolve. Orochimaru shook with fury as more of his soul was pulled out, his head and torso now visible. The neck of the soul lengthened and darted back into his body. If his soul was to be sealed, then he would salvage his mind at least. His quick plan to make Sarutobi despair had backfired and now he was paying the price.

His one consolation was that the old man was in pain and that he would die with this. Konoha would have to wait. With one final hard tug, every part of Orochimaru's soul except for the head was yanked free of the body. Sarutobi screamed to the heavens.

"FUUIN!"

The Shinigami's dagger flashed downward and cut off Orochimaru's body at the base of the neck, pulling the rest through Sarutobi's soul and yanking it along with him. It disappeared with a satisfied look. Four new souls to digest. Quite a treat for it.

Orochimaru and Sarutobi both crumpled to the ground, Sarutobi dying and Orochimaru's skin turning a sickly purple, the soul no longer inhabiting his body except for the mind. A red-hot fire roared through him as his host's body began to fight for control again. He seethed and screamed at Sarutobi Hiruzen, who lay unmoving, a faint smile on his face.

"Why are you smiling? You stupid old man! Do you know what you've done? I hate you!"

Sarutobi was too tired to respond, his soul having been taken and his body rapidly dying. Enma let his transformation drop and knelt down beside his old friend, having heard everything that was said.

**I am sorry, Hiruzen. I shall pray for you and your family. May the gods have mercy on your soul.**

The Monkey King bowed his head and when he lifted it again, it was to stare into the glassy eyes of the Sandaime Hokage. Before he dispelled, he reached out and closed the eyelids with two of his fingers, his voice low as he disappeared.

**Rest in peace, old friend.**

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Naruto slammed his knife into Gaara's right shoulder, praying that the pain would be enough to waken the boy. Sure enough, the insane jinchuuriki's eyes sprang open and he screamed wordlessly. Shukaku howled in rage and Gamaken backed off, unsure of what was happening.

**NOOOO! I just got out, you bastards!**

The sand began to crumble away and fall to the ground, letting Naruto and Gaara take the last forty feet to the ground on their own. The redhead landed with a boneless thump, all his energy spent, and stared up at the sky. Naruto landed on his feet and cringed as the red chakra receded into him, leaving him sore and tired. He slowly stood and made his way over to Gaara, crouching beside the prone boy.

"What happens if I kill you? Will it release the Shukaku?"

Gaara merely stared ahead. Naruto frowned and sheathed his knife.

"I'll take that to mean you don't know. Very well. I'll take care of you later."

The blond pulled some wire from his pouch and bound the redhead's hands and feet, before hefting him onto his shoulder. He looked up just in time to see four Oto ninja bounding away with Orochimaru's body, dead or alive, he couldn't tell. He quickly made his way to the top of the building where his grandfather had been fighting and his heart stopped at the sight.

Gamaken, Fukasaku, and Gamakichi watched him go. Fukasaku looked up at Gamaken with a small smile.

**Thank you, Gamaken. Your help was most appreciated.**

**The honor was mine, Fukasaku-sama. I only wish I could have done more.**

The battle-toad disappeared in a plume of smoke, leaving the two smaller toads on the field of battle. Fukasaku nodded to Gamakichi and the two hopped into the shadows.

Several Konoha ninja stood around the body of Sarutobi Hiruzen, all of their heads bowed in respect. Naruto dropped Gaara with a thump and knelt beside the body. He wanted to cry, but he wouldn't do it. That would dishonor his grandfather. He instead stood and turned to a jounin he knew in passing.

"Take him to the prisons. I'm going to check on my family."

The jounin nodded his head and picked up Gaara, not caring if the boy was comfortable or not. Naruto ran to his family's home, praying that they had been spared in the onslaught. Konohamaru was supposed to be at school when the fighting broke out. His mother and father were at home, awaiting his arrival. When the battle had come, his father had more than likely gone out to fight.

He sped past everyone in his path, his tiredness overrode by his need to check on his loved ones. There were still a few random fights here and there, but for the most part Suna and Oto had been pushed back. Konoha had won. His heart took a lighter note as he realized that. It sank, however, when he reached his home.

It was like it had been hit by a tornado, the grounds were destroyed and the great wall that marked off the back of the property looked like it had been run over by a summoned creature. Naruto rounded the house to the back and his heart sank as bile rushed up his esophagus. Nailed to the wall of the house, were the bodies of his family and the servants.

His legs gave way and he sank to his knees as he gazed upon the destruction and death. The bodies of his mother and father were on either side of the door, their arms outstretched and chins laid upon their chests. Naruto crawled forward and tears began to fall as he saw what was more heartbreaking than his parents and the servants. It was a bad dream. It had to be, because reality couldn't be so cruel as his imagination.

Konohamaru was above the entranceway, his small body prostrated just like his parents. Above his head, drawn in blood, was the symbol of Otogakure, the symbol of Orochimaru. A sad voice came from behind him and he spun, his knife drawn.

"Naruto…"

The blond quivered when he saw his uncle, Asuma, standing amidst the wreckage, and rushed into the man's arms, crying silently into his vest. Asuma stood and let the boy, who rarely cried, weep into his chest as he looked at everything in front of his eyes, before turning them both away and back to the village. He shed a few tears from his eyes and then steeled himself. The village came before everything, even family. That was what his father had taught.

He pulled the distraught Naruto along with them. They had much to do. Tears could come later.

The Will of Fire had to be preserved. No matter what.

**Let me know what you think. The fall out is next chapter.**


	30. The Question on Everyone's Minds

I am very dissapointed in some of you. War is not a game. Bad things happen to good people. Children are not immune to the ravages of war. There are casualties and that is a fact. Did you ever watch Gladiator? Did you feel sorry for Maximus when he found his wife and son hanging from the rafters of his house? Did you blame the writers of the movie for that scene or did you simply feel sorry for the character? For those of you who wrote in your reviews and PMs that I killed Konohamaru, you are doing yourself a diservice. I wrote the chapter, but Orochimaru ordered the slaughter of the Sarutobi family. Try to keep that in context. It's a story, folks. Let's try to keep it that way. Think of it this way. I made you feel something. Isn't that what I was supposed to do? You felt emotion. I did my job.

And on to better things. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...**Living in the Promiseland**_ by Willie Nelson._

**CHAPTER THIRTY**

Asuma looked over at his nephew worriedly. The boy hadn't spoken in two days. The blond had been silent on the way back to his apartment. His possessions had been destroyed along with the house, all his books, all his belongings. He'd had no clothes, save for what spare outfits he'd had sealed in a scroll for missions, and had been sleeping on Asuma's couch ever since. Naruto's sleep had been fitful and bags were beginning to form under his eyes.

He'd been silent at the funeral, freaking everyone out with his stoicism and his refusal to shed even a single tear. To those who didn't know him, it was an affirmation of his maturity considering the situation. To all his friends and sensei, it was disconcerting. His friends had not wanted to approach him yet; for fear that he would break down or lash out. Asuma had told them that he would let them know when he was better. Now, he was beginning to regret that decision.

They'd gotten a summons on behalf of the emergency council to attend a meeting to discuss who the new Hokage would be. That had not sat well with Naruto either, his mood becoming more somber than ever. Everyone of importance that was in Konoha was in attendance, even Jiraiya, who was leaned against the wall, forsaking a chair. Tensions were high and Asuma was uneasy about the situation. Now they sat in the meeting, listening to the three elderly advisors drone on and on about qualifications, until Naruto finally snapped.

"Why is Orochimaru's hide not nailed to the wall of this room?"

That simple sentence rang out like a funeral bell across the room. The heads of the clans had not wanted to ask; not feeling it was their place as Homura, Koharu, and Danzou were running the show, being the senior members. But now it was out in the open. Homura coughed into his hand and straightened his glasses.

"Uzumaki-san, that is not in question right now. Please, let's stay on the task at hand."

Naruto leaned forward, placing both hands flat on the table before him.

"I asked a question and I want it answered. Why. Is. Orochimaru. Not. Nailed. To. That. Wall?"

The room fell into silence once again and Naruto took that as a mark against him.

"I saw my grandfather's body. It had the same seal that I do. He used the Shiki Fuuin on Orochimaru. Tell me how a man whose soul was supposedly ripped out gets away, even if he's a corpse?"

More silence. Jiraiya pushed off the wall, ready to jump in if Naruto got too belligerent. He had questions he wanted answered as well. Jiraiya was sorry that he had not been able to help Naruto or Sarutobi, but he had been in another sector of the village, taking care of the massive snake summons that Orochimaru and his allies had summoned. He shivered when Naruto growled, still not used to that sound.

"How did our ANBU let four ninja, who they knew had to be tired from holding up a barrier, get away? Elites, the best of the best, couldn't catch four tired ninja carrying what had to be a corpse, if not a half-dead man?"

Danzou rose from his seat and tapped his cane on the ground, trying to restore some semblance of power to the elders.

"I see it was a mistake asking you to come to this particular meeting, Uzumaki-san. If you're just going to be disruptive and not stick to the task at hand, then I'm going to ask you to wait outside."

Naruto grunted and sneered, his fangs becoming visible.

"My family is gone because of Orochimaru. I find it suspicious that our ANBU, sworn to protect the Hokage, couldn't even catch his killers. This has everything to do with this meeting, old man. My family is gone because of him. I want answers!"

Koharu bowed her head, acknowledging that fact.

"What happened to your family was a tragedy, Naruto, and I am deeply sorry. But there are casualties in every war. You have to understand that we can't always prepare for everything. We must keep moving forward."

Naruto's claws dug into the table, leaving furrows, and dragging the shavings back to his waiting fist.

"My little brother, my baby brother, was killed and nailed over the doorway of my home, with the insignia of Oto over his head. This was all premeditated. My mother and father were in the audience watching me. My brother was at school during the exams. For them to be killed at home means that the enemy knew who they were and where they were and that they were captured before they were killed. I want to know why!"

Jiraiya sighed and Naruto's head snapped in his direction. The Toad Sage's eyes were weary and filled with sadness.

"Naruto, Orochimaru is a sick, sadistic man. He told me one time to kill some children of a country we were at war with because they would grow up and seek revenge if I didn't. He experimented on children, sacrificed children, and used them in unholy ways. The murder of your family was nothing but a day at the office for him. I'm sorry, but the answer is that he did it on a whim, because he thought it would make the pinwheel turn."

Naruto's demeanor was slowly becoming less fueled by rage and more by sorrow, the wound of his family's death still prevalent in his mind.

"But…it doesn't make sense."

Homura's deep voice broke cut through the air.

"Orochimaru has always been unstable. His goals are always unclear, sometimes I think, even to himself. Speculation could be that he was angry at Sarutobi for choosing Namikaze Minato for the position of Yondaime instead of him."

Danzou slammed his cane onto the table.

"We don't have time for these trivial things! We need to choose the new Hokage, now!"

Naruto glared at the old warhawk with as much hatred as he could muster.

"The title of Hokage is the least of my worries right now! Why are we not following after Orochimaru? Why aren't there teams out there trying to find him?"

The clan heads felt terrible and had no answers. Truly, the Hokage was the final answer in military matters. Oh, he had his advisors, but there was no true 'council'. This was an emergency panel to see where the village stood at the moment, but Naruto was quickly turning it into the biggest guilt session they'd ever had. Homura tried again to keep the peace.

"Naruto, you have to understand. We don't have the forces for that at the moment. We can't spare teams to go searching for Orochimaru."

"Then send me! I'll look myself!"

Koharu shook her head, the motion echoed by Homura.

"Absolutely not. You are a valuable asset, Naruto, and we can't risk you being captured. Orochimaru is not our top priority at the moment, but that is only for the moment. We must secure the village first and then, we can focus on that man. Trust in us, please."

The boy sat back and put a hand to his mouth, the wind suddenly taken out of his sails. The world was crumbling down around him and now he was being told that his family's killer would remain at large. If only he hadn't been taught to listen to his superiors, if only he wasn't such a 'valuable asset'…

"But he's hurting now. It's the best time to go after him. Please, just let me go. I…"

Danzou gazed upon the distraught boy with little pity.

"The answer is no. You are a ninja of this village and you will behave as such. You are letting your emotions cloud your judgment. Sarutobi was wrong to leave you with such a long leash."

A snarl was the only indication of what happened. Before anyone could move, Naruto was across the room and had his knife held to Danzou's throat, ready to pierce through the man's Adam's Apple. The only thing that kept the tip from penetrating was the sword held to the boy's own throat by a masked ANBU. Naruto tilted his head back slightly so he could speak.

"You ever speak slightingly of my grandfather again, and I will kill you. No one will save you. No one will help you. I'll do it in your sleep, when you least expect it. I don't like you, Danzou, I never have. I've heard what you wanted my grandfather to do with not only me, but several children of this village."

"Kill me? Is that a threat?"

Naruto growled and leaned forward, letting the sword bite into his neck a bit, just so he could push the tip of the knife into the old man's throat.

"It's a promise."

Danzou pushed the knife aside with his cane, the slight fear that had been in his eyes dissipating as he watched the ANBU hold the jinchuuriki at bay.

"This is further proof that you are too unpredictable. Weapons should not have emotions, nor should they have free thought. A threat on a fellow shinobi is a serious felony, boy. You've dug your own grave here."

Naruto growled again and leaned back, taking his neck away from the ANBU's sword and slid off the table, his dagger still in his hand.

"I'm through talking here. Do what you will concerning the next Hokage. It doesn't concern me."

Jiraiya reached out to stop Naruto before he melted into the floor, but was too late. The boy was gone. The white-haired man gritted his teeth and slammed his fist onto the lacquered wood of the table, as he glared at the three elders.

"What did you do that for? The boy's been through enough! Don't antagonize him and try to belittle his family's death!"

Danzou used his one good eye to look upon Jiraiya.

"The good of the village…"

The Toad Sennin shoved his body forward, leaning in towards the elders.

"There is no village if the people cannot live here in harmony with one another! If you keep pushing your own ambitions above that of the village, there won't be a village left!"

Homura nodded his head. Those were wise words.

"You would do anything to stop that from happening, wouldn't you, Jiraiya?"

"Of course I would!"

Koharu smiled and nodded her head.

"Then I believe you should be the one to stop it from happening. All in favor of Jiraiya as our next Hokage?"

Jiraiya watched with wide eyes as all the members raised their hands.

"But…no! I have duties that are vital to Konoha…"

Danzou nodded his head.

"That anyone could do if they were introduced to your spies."

"But…I'm not really suited to this type of thing."

"If not you, then who?"

Jiraiya looked Koharu in her eye and grinned.

"Tsunade."

Homura shook his head.

"Out of the question. Tsunade hasn't been seen or heard from in years. You are our next Hokage."

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A blond-haired lump sat on the cobblestone walkway in front of the giant tomb of the Sarutobi family, not caring as the cold rain beaded off of him in rivulets, forming a puddle on the ground before him. It had not stopped raining since the funeral honoring all those who had fallen in the invasion, almost like the gods themselves were still weeping.

Naruto didn't care that he was wet, his clothes soaked clean through. He wouldn't get sick. He never got sick. He could wander naked through a pool of toxic waste and come out unscathed. One of the benefits of having the Kyuubi within him. He let out a choking laugh as he remembered something his father had told him.

_"You'll never be able to call in sick from missions with that thing inside of you."_

After he'd found out what he carried inside him, it had been one of his father's favorite jokes. The small smile that had formed from his half-hearted chuckle quickly faded away as he suppressed the image of his father.

_"For the love of Kami, Naruto, stop tracking mud all through my house! I didn't raise you to be a heathen."_

His mother's face flashed before his eyes and he bit back a sob. The woman had never truly cared if he did that. It was just her motherly duty to scold him. He'd take her scolding right now with a smile on his face.

_"Hey, Bro! I used that jutsu on Jijii again! Is he supposed to be knocked out like that?"_

His breath caught in his throat and he clapped a hand over his mouth to stop the croaking sound from escaping. He wouldn't dishonor his family in such a way. The twenty-fifth principle had to be upheld.

Why then, did he feel like that principle was bullshit? It hurt to hold it all in…

The puddle that had formed in front of his crossed legs shimmered and revealed the Kyuubi's scowling face.

**You need to stop beating yourself up over this. There was nothing you could have done to save them. If you want to honor their memory, kill Orochimaru.**

Naruto said nothing, just staring at the wavering image of the red-haired man as the drops of rain distorted his face. His thoughts flashed back to one of his conversations with his grandfather.

_"Naruto, revenge is a path that only leads to self-destruction. I've lost many friends during my tenure as a ninja, and yes, I have wanted revenge on those who killed them. And most of the time I had that revenge. But in the end, it didn't bring my friend back and I was still left feeling empty. If you feel that you absolutely have to take revenge on someone, do it for the right reasons."_

_"What are the right reasons?"_

_"That, my boy, depends on the situation. I can't tell you that. You'll have to figure it out for yourself."_

Naruto blinked and a raindrop fell from his eyelids, landing in the puddle below.

"Stupid Jijii. Always giving me riddles and never any answers. If revenge isn't the answer, then what is?"

**The death of the murderer is one step toward healing. Once he is dead, your mind can rest in peace.**

_'I want him to die. He deserves to die. When next I see him, I'll kill him.'_

**Don't be in such a hurry to rush off to your death. So long as he dies, what does it matter how it happens, ****assassin?**

The thunder rumbled and Naruto raised his head up to look at the lightning-lit sky. The clouds reflected when the lightning crashed and he could see the rain as it fell. So many drops of water, one of the things that stopped his kekkei genkai dead in its tracks. His thoughts went back to his fight with Gaara. If only he had been able to melt into the sand that made up the bijuu's body…but it was chakra reinforced and it was physically impossible for him to melt into something that had chakra. It had been a hard lesson to learn.

"Now you know my pain. You're the only one who does."

Naruto's aura became even darker when he heard that oh-so familiar voice. He remained staring at the tomb's door, trying to ignore the boy's presence. Out of the shadow's stepped Uchiha Sasuke, his normally stiff hair weighed down by the rain and plastered to his face.

"You want him to die, don't you?"

Naruto's voice was small and quiet.

"Yes."

Sasuke nodded his head and stood right beside the blond, staring out towards where his own family's graves were.

"I want my brother to die for what he did. He killed my whole family. I never imagined that anyone else would ever know what that feels like."

Naruto's hostility toward the boy dropped off and the dullness came back to his eyes. He just didn't care if the Uchiha was there anymore.

"At first, you feel a sense of disbelief, like it's all a dream. You want to wake up from the nightmare, but you never do. You wake up from other dreams, but never this one. The nightmare is always there in the back of your mind, eating away at you. And the pain never seems to go away. It just dulls with time."

The jinchuuriki cut his eyes to Sasuke, but otherwise remained motionless. It was amazing to him that he felt just as the other boy described. Sasuke closed his eyes and sat down beside the blond, drawing his knees up to his chest.

"I can still see their faces when I close my eyes, both when they were alive and when they…died. You know, I can't remember what my mother's voice sounded like exactly anymore. And I can't remember what it looked like when my father smiled."

Sasuke grabbed his hair and fisted it.

"It infuriates me! I loved them and I can't remember details like that anymore! Everyone says that it's because it's my heart telling me to move on, but I know different! It's because of him! He put a curse on me!"

The dark-haired boy calmed down and his breathing returned to normal as he slowly turned his head to face Naruto.

"You're the only one who knows what it feels like. I know you feel like I do. That's why…I'm willing to bury the hatchet between us. Someone who feels like I do, who knows what loneliness and emptiness feels like is not my enemy. Not at the moment."

Naruto stared down at the hand that was offered him and blinked. He didn't want to accept it. Sasuke had never been more than a thorn in his side since he'd known him, throwing out insults and threats every day. Now, just because his family was dead, the boy thought he knew him.

"It is always better to make peace than war."

Naruto hung his head when those words flashed through his head. They were the words of his idealistic grandfather, a man who strove for peace his whole life in a war-filled world. Would it be so bad to have one less enemy after him? Would his family be proud if he did the adult thing and shook the boy's hand?

Sasuke watched as Naruto's right hand slowly rose from its place in the boy's lap and extended toward him, grasping onto his hand with a strength that surprised him. Naruto's dull blue eyes flashed in the lightning and his grip on the Uchiha's hand tightened almost painfully.

"In honor of my grandfather, a man who wanted peace, I'll call a truce with you. But I know who gave you that mark on your neck, Sasuke, and so help me, if you ever go to him, a man who is my sworn enemy…I'll kill you."

The Sharingan wielder gaped at the conviction of the words spewing from the young blond's mouth. Before he could reply, Naruto cut him off.

"Everything you've said so far is true. I know how you feel now. But if you go to Orochimaru, you will be my enemy and I will not hesitate to destroy you. So long as you are my comrade, I will treat you as one. Our quarrel is over, starting tonight."

Sasuke smirked as he stood to his feet. He had finally found someone who felt as he did, a comrade in pain. He felt at peace for the first time in a long time.

"Our quarrel of the past is over. I'll see you later, Uzumaki."

Naruto didn't even bother to look as Sasuke walked away, back into the shadows. He had shut the door on that chapter of his life. Now, he was in a new chapter…but oh, the beginning was so bleak…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"There he is. I thought we'd never find him."

The gravel crunched under the feet of Ino and Hinata as they wound their way through the cemetery's headstones, searching for the familiar bright blond hair of their friend. Ino had dragged Hinata along to hunt for the boy, even though the Hyuuga maiden had some misgivings about it. She was unsure of what to say when they found him and she was slightly afraid at the moment. Her heart told her that it was just Naruto, but her mind kept going back to his fight with Neji, the level of brutality he had showed there, and the way he had fought Gaara.

Ino had recruited her to help because of her eyes and with her kekkei genkai; they had found him relatively quickly, after checking his uncle's home and his favorite haunting grounds. Hinata's eyes could only reach so far, so they'd had to search for quite a bit. She'd finally noticed him by accident, sitting in front of his family's tomb, his head hanging toward the ground.

Ino marched right up in front of the boy and started to yell at him when she noticed that he was asleep. Her features immediately softened and she beckoned Hinata over as she knelt down.

"Look at him, Hinata. He looks peaceful, despite what's happened in the past few days. You know, I've been on missions with him before, but I can't ever recall a time when I actually saw him asleep. He looks really cute."

Hinata knelt down on her knees beside Ino and smiled. They both heard the gentle sound of Naruto's even breathing, a sign that he was truly out of it.

"Do his fangs look a little longer, Ino? They're poking out over his lips."

"Nah, it's just because his mouth is open."

The two were silent for a moment, listening to his breathing before Ino sighed.

"How could Naruto, one of the nicest people I've ever met, have beaten that monster? He rushed in like he never had a doubt in his mind."

Hinata frowned, her mind rushing back to his match with Neji.

"I don't know. I know that that red chakra wasn't natural. He beat up Neji-niisan so effortlessly too. It was horrible to watch. I've never seen Naruto-kun attack someone like that."

Ino leaned down a bit further and tilted her head so she could see his face more clearly under his bangs. She ignored Hinata's remark about the red chakra. She wasn't about to tell the girl if Naruto hadn't yet.

"The marks on his cheeks look darker too. It's probably because he's stressed out. We should wake him up."

Hinata nodded and reached out, touching him on the shoulder and shaking him lightly.

"Naruto-kun. Naruto-kun, wake up."

His eyes fluttered a bit, but he didn't wake up, his head bobbing a bit. Hinata shook him a little more forcefully.

"Naruto-kun, you need to wake up."

He mumbled something unintelligible and shrugged her hand off. Ino scowled and leaned down by his ear.

"WAKE UP!"

His eyelids snapped open, revealing his blue eyes, and Ino gasped when she felt something sharp and cold touch her throat. Hinata cried out when he grabbed onto her wrist and looked about wildly.

"Naruto-kun, stop! It's me and Ino!"

His eye shifted back and forth for a second before it registered who they were and he dropped Hinata's wrist and slid his knife back into his sheath, much to the relief of Ino. Hinata rubbed at her wrist and glared at Ino.

"That was stupid, Ino. You know better than to startle a sleeping ninja."

"Well, he wasn't waking up with you saying 'Naruto-kun' over and over again."

"What are you two doing here?"

Hinata gave Naruto a warm smile and settled onto her knees again.

"We're here to take you home. You stayed out here all last night and you're soaking wet. You need to go home and take a shower or you're going to get sick."

Naruto shrugged and turned around again, returning to his vigil.

"I don't get sick. I appreciate you guys coming out here, but I'm fine."

Ino grabbed his shoulder and jerked him back around.

"No, you're not. You haven't spoken to any of us since that attack, Naruto. You didn't even talk to us after the funeral. We're your friends and we're here to help you."

His eyes grew cold and he took her hand off of his shoulder.

"You can't help me. My family is gone, all of them are gone. Orochimaru killed them all."

Hinata's voice was small, but firm.

"Asuma-sensei isn't gone. He's worried about you. We're all worried about you."

"Go home."

Ino and Hinata froze when they heard his dismissal. Ino ground her teeth and jumped back in front of him, yelling in his face.

"We've been searching everywhere for you! Everyone is worried about you, Naruto! You can't mope forever in front of this tomb!"

"What the hell do you know? Everyone I love is dead!"

A smack sounded throughout the cemetery and Ino gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Naruto cradled his cheek, his eyes wide. He hadn't even seen Hinata move. The petite girl stood before him, panting and glaring at him with fire in her eyes.

"How dare you! Are you saying you don't love Asuma-sensei? He's your uncle! You don't love your team? Or your sensei? You don't love your friends? Or me? Because we all love you, Naruto! We're just as hurt as you are by this! Eri-san was like a mother to me when we were little! Your grandfather was the Hokage! Don't act like you're the only one who was affected!"

Naruto stared at her in disbelief. Quiet little Hinata was dressing him down like he was a small child.

"Orochimaru did something unforgivable, Naruto, and he'll pay for it. We'll help you! Just don't tune us out because of this! Don't think you have to do this all by yourself! Don't act like Sasuke!"

That struck him like a physical blow and he took a step back. He was acting like Sasuke? Naruto's eyes narrowed and he hissed at the girl, who glared back at him defiantly.

"Don't ever say that! I am not acting like him."

Ino sadly shook her head.

"But you are, Naruto. I like Sasuke, but his attitude doesn't suit you. Please…let us help you. Don't act like this. We care about you. You're not all alone."

Naruto's eyes softened and his chest heaved a little bit. Hinata noticed that and stepped toward him.

"It's ok to feel sad, Naruto-kun. I cried when my mother died. It's ok to cry for them."

"But…the principle…I don't want to dishonor them…"

Hinata wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight.

"We won't tell anyone. We promise."

It started as a hiccup and turned into a full out sob as Naruto cried into Hinata's shoulder. Ino put her arm around his shoulder as well and the two girls sat there until he calmed down. For the first time since he'd killed Mizuki, Naruto wept.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Two figures slunk away from the three teens silently and exited the graveyard. The air shimmered around them, revealing Anko and Kurenai, smiles of relief on their faces.

"The brat will be fine now. Those girls will take care of him."

Kurenai nodded her head.

"Yes, it's a relief to see him show emotion again. He performed admirably at the funeral, but it's dangerous to always bottle up your feelings. I've been worried about him."

"So have I. You sure we shouldn't have stuck around?"

Kurenai grinned and elbowed her companion.

"Is little Anko-chan jealous of Hinata and Ino?"

Anko huffed and tilted her chin up.

"Hell no. I'm more woman than those two could ever hope to be. He knows where his bread is buttered. Besides, he's way too wild for either one of them to handle."

Kurenai sighed and shook her head.

"I swear, Anko, sometimes I never know when you're kidding."

"Who says I'm kidding?"

"You're insufferable."

The two walked in silence for a bit before Anko hummed to herself.

"Wonder what he'll do when he finds out who was elected as Hokage?"

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Naruto stood with the rest of his friends at the base of the Hokage Tower, waiting to see their new Hokage. He didn't know Jiraiya very well, but he knew that the man was a legend and had to have a good head on his shoulders to survive this long. The crowd fell silent and waited as Homura and Koharu stepped forward. The old man adjusted his glasses and smiled.

"Citizens of Konoha, today is a joyous day. Today, we crown a new Hokage. Allow me to present you with our Godaime, the Toad Sannin, Jiraiya-sama!"

Jiraiya stepped forward, wearing the hat and robe of the Hokage. He had a grin on his face, but anyone who could read emotions well could tell that he wasn't comfortable. It was a job Jiraiya didn't want. His booming voice stretched out over the area as he gave a message of hope to the people, which Naruto tuned out.

Today or tomorrow, one or the other, he had to tell the toads what he had decided. They had been gracious in giving him the space he needed while he mourned and he was grateful for that. Their help with Gaara was not unappreciated either. Without that large toad named Gamaken, he wasn't sure if he would have won or not.

Jiraiya finally finished his speech and the people cheered again, before leaving to attend to their business. Life went on in Konohagakure no Sato for most everyone. The world had to keep spinning, especially for the ninja of the village. Naruto realized that, even if it hurt to know. Their enemies would not give them time to mourn, even a day. He said goodbye to his friends with a smile and a wave, reassuring them that he'd meet them for dinner. For the time being, he had somewhere to be.

His eyes narrowed as he melted into the ground, only to reappear moments later in the ANBU headquarters. He frowned at the surroundings, the ineptness of these so-called 'elites' still in his mind. Shrugging the thoughts off, he trudged through the halls to find Anko and Ibiki. He found them just outside an interrogation room.

"Hiya, squirt! Whatcha here for?"

Naruto waved at Anko, his face still stony.

"I'm here to speak with Gaara."

Ibiki frowned and cut his eyes to Anko, who mirrored his expression.

"I don't know if that's a good idea, Naruto. He's very unstable and we're going to give him back to Suna some time this week. You know that Orochimaru killed the Kazekage and impersonated him to get Suna to go along with his plan."

Naruto blinked boredly.

"I don't care. I want to see the bastard before he leaves."

Ibiki sighed and tossed him the key to Gaara's cell.

"Suit yourself. We'll be watching."

Naruto grunted and caught the key, turned on his heel, and headed for Gaara's cell. He didn't even know what he wanted to say, but he wanted to see the boy. The key was loud as it activated the tumblers in the lock and he pushed the heavy metal door open. Gaara was chained to the wall opposite the door. The boy's head rose slowly and he lazily blinked as he stared at Naruto.

"So…have you come to kill me?"

Naruto closed the door behind him and let his face become blank.

"No. You're to be turned back over to your village. I just want to know a couple of things."

Gaara's face betrayed nothing.

"You stopped Mother from killing. No one has ever done that."

Naruto ignored that remark.

"Did you know that Orochimaru had killed the Kazekage?"

Silence echoed in the room for a moment.

"No. I did not."

"All right. That's the main thing I want to know. Now then…you know that the Shukaku isn't your mother, right?"

"Mother has been with me since I was born. Mother has never abandoned me. Mother says that when next we meet, Mother will kill you."

Naruto snorted and walked over to the boy. Gaara stiffened a bit and shrank back against the wall. Mother couldn't come out here; they'd cut off the chakra he and Mother shared. Naruto leaned down beside Gaara's ear.

"Your mother can't touch me. I know that Shukaku is in there and that he's listening. I want him to know that he was beaten by the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi…and that the jinchuuriki didn't even have to transform to take him down."

Gaara's eyes widened and he clutched at his eye as Shukaku screamed.

"Mother says that you will die next time."

Naruto stood upright and rolled his neck, letting the pops sound throughout the room. He had gotten what he came for. Suna was innocent, even though many had had to want to invade. He'd let Jiraiya deal with that. As he opened the door, he turned his head slightly to look at Gaara.

"Next time, I won't hold back."

The door shut with a clang and Gaara screamed in anger. Next time, Uzumaki Naruto's blood would stain the ground. He sat back against the wall, rocking back and forth.

"Yes, Mother, his blood will be delicious. I swear it. We just have to be patient."

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Naruto avoided the toads for one more day, before they finally came for him at his uncle's home. He woke up that morning with a weight on his chest and opened his eyes to find Gamakichi.

**It's time, bro. We need your answer today.**

The blond rubbed the sleep from his eyes and sat up, knocking Gamakichi to his lap.

"Is it morning already? Man, it feels like I just fell asleep."

The little toad hopped off the couch and onto a chair a couple feet away. Naruto grunted and sat upright, the blanket falling around him.

"You can go on ahead, Gamakichi. I'll be right behind you."

**I'll wait. I'm supposed to accompany you.**

Naruto frowned and ran his hand through his hair.

"You don't trust me?"

**I have my orders. I'm supposed to go with you.**

The blond grunted and stood up, cracking his back and yawning.

"I'll get ready then."

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Kabuto pushed his glasses further up his nose and frowned. Orochimaru had come back to his lair in an unacceptable condition. The man's own body was eating away at him from some unknown affliction. The glasses-wearing young man was not familiar with the affects of the Shiki Fuuin, but he knew that if his master didn't switch bodies soon, he would most certainly die.

He listened to the screams coming from the man's room and silently made his way in. Despite his master's wishes, he couldn't wait for Uchiha Sasuke's body. Kabuto had a theory though on what could make that an eventuality. When Orochimaru took over the body of another person, he essentially assimilated their soul, replacing what parts of his own he had lost in issuing the curse seal. The same principle should apply to this. He just didn't know to what extent. The first order of business was the vital organs.

Orochimaru screamed unintelligibly again as Kabuto ripped open the man's shirt. He'd been keeping his master alive by forcing his heart to pump blood through a series of seals and tubes. Kabuto smirked as he walked out the door to get the Kyodaija a new sacrifice. He was cheating the Shinigami of a soul. Through Orochimaru, he'd accomplish his own goals.

He listened to the Sannin's hoarse screams as he dragged the strongest jounin that Oto had back to the room. The man struggled the whole way and when Kabuto presented him before Orochimaru, his master struck with all the fury of a hungry python. The jounin quivered for a bit before letting out an unholy scream and collapsed to the floor, while the body Orochimaru had inhabited deteriorated before Kabuto's eyes.

The silver-haired young man pushed his spectacles back upon his nose again and bent down to observe what happened. He watched as the purple virus that was the seal crawl back upon the man's body, starting at his feet. Kabuto reached down and covered the man's vitals with his hands as the virus spread and pumped healing chakra into Orochimaru's torso. The virus spread around the chakra, branching out to the arms and stopping just at the shoulders, leaving the pale man's new body with all its vitals in working order.

Kabuto sat back and wiped the sweat from his brow. It had taken a lot of chakra to do, but he had saved his master. Orochimaru's new eyes opened and took in the light.

"Kabuto? Is that accursed seal gone?"

"No, Orochimaru-sama. But I managed to divert it away from your vitals. Unfortunately, your arms and legs are still useless."

A snake-like hiss emanated from the pale man as he lay upon the ground.

"It doesn't matter. You were correct in your assumption that my soul can replenish if I assimilate the souls of others. It will just take time before I can inhabit Sasuke-kun's beautiful body. I can afford to wait."

Kabuto smirked as Orochimaru's cackling laughter echoed through the halls. He had cheated death yet again.

He was truly immortal.

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Naruto stood before the assembled toads and Jiraiya, who was decked out in his Hokage robes and hat, with as much professionalism and poise as he could muster. Jiraiya took the role of possessor of the scroll and strode up to the boy.

"Well, kiddo, this is it. You know what awaits you if you sign on and you know what awaits you if you don't. What's your decision?"

Naruto cast his gaze upon all the toads, one by one, until finally his gaze came to the final two. Fukasaku smiled at him, a smile full of hope. It pained Naruto to think it, but it reminded him of his grandfather. A glance to the old toad's right revealed Gamakichi, grinning at him like an idiot and waving. The mannerisms were so close to Konohamaru that it wasn't funny.

If his mind had never been made up before, it was now. He locked eyes with Jiraiya, having to crane his neck to do so, and held out his hands.

"I accept."

**Let me know what you think.**


	31. Chuunin Plateau

And here's Chapter 31. Sorry for the wait, but once again, inspiration seems to be lacking. I don't believe in muses, but if I have one, the lazy bitch needs to get off his/her ass and do his/her job. Sigh...in any event, I do have a couple of things worthy of mention. For one thing, I have recently been plagiarized by someone on or TONFA as some may know it. The person's name is kyuubi121 and they're calling the story Master of Swords. Really original, considering it was originally called Master of the Zanbatous! Also, I've recently joined a site that helps people find good fanfics. Look on my bio near the top for the link. Join up and find me under my normal handle, pudgypudge. Anyhow, enjoy. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...**Graffitti the World**_ by Rehab._

**CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE**

Jiraiya proudly handed Naruto the scroll and directed him on how to properly sign it. Once that task was accomplished, the scroll rolled shut with a snap and was snatched up by a large red toad, which immediately disappeared. All the toads croaked happily and vanished in clouds of smoke, leaving only Fukasaku and Gamakichi. The elder toad smiled at Naruto and bowed his head.

**That's all complete. The only thing left for you to do is to summon one of us. Jiraiya-chan, show him how to perform the jutsu, please.**

The Toad Sage nodded his head and formed the needed handsigns, doing it slowly so that the blond could see them and mimic along with him. Once Naruto was sure he had it downpat, Jiraiya and the two toads stepped back, giving him room. Flipping through the seals, he called out the jutsu name and pumped as much chakra into the technique as he could.

Jiraiya and the two toads watched as the blond boy rose into the air on the nose of an enormous toad, which the new Hokage recognized immediately.

"Well…it's not Gamabunta, but that's still damned impressive for a first try."

The toad in question blinked its large eyes and glanced around, its massive head swinging back and forth.

**I don't sense any danger…but there is a bug on my nose.**

Naruto looked upon his summon in awe. It was as large as Gamaken had been, but instead of a battle fork and shield, this toad had two incredibly large katana attached to its back. For a moment, the boy wondered if it could even use them. He was shaken out of his daydreaming by a rumbling voice.

**Well? What's your name, bug?**

Naruto blinked in surprise and answered hesitantly. This toad wasn't anywhere near as accommodating as Fukasaku and Gamakichi.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I'm the new toad summoner."

**I gathered that. I'm called Gamahiro, one of the three great battletoads, along with Gamaken and our leader, Gamabunta. I'll inform him that we have a new summoner.**

**Don't bother, Gamahiro. I'll tell him myself.**

The leviathan tilted its head downward to the voice and nodded.

**Fukasaku-sama. Jiraiya. Gamakichi. I did not expect you to be here.**

Fukasaku waved a webbed paw dismissively.

**Don't worry about it. Like I said, I'll deal with Gamabunta. Be nice to our new summoner, Gamahiro. He'll be someone great in the coming years.**

The behemoth bowed its head once more and rolled its eyes up to Naruto again.

**Do not summon me unless there is a fight. I welcome you to the ranks of the toads, brother.**

The blond's eyes widened as Gamahiro dispelled himself and he began to fall to the earth. Being a ninja and what he was though, it was merely a matter of reinforcing his legs with chakra to soften the landing. It still hurt like hell, however. Once he regained his bearings, Fukasaku smiled at him.

**Don't worry about Gamahiro. He's always too serious. You'll need to summon Gamabunta someday and meet him. Don't fret; it's merely a formality. That brat still listens to me if he knows what's good for him. We'll be going back now to prepare for the future. We'll be seeing you soon, Naruto-chan. **

Fukasaku went back to Mt. Myoboku with a grin, leaving Gamakichi behind. The little toad hopped up to its favorite spot on Naruto's head and leaned over.

**I gotta go back now too. Summon me later, bro, and we can hang out. I'm good for checking out traps and things…and have candy ready.**

Naruto smiled and nodded his head, careful not to dislodge the youngster.

"I'll do that. Thanks for everything, Gamakichi."

A poof of smoke was his answer and Jiraiya strode over, clapping a large hand on Naruto's shoulder, making the boy look up. The Hokage smiled and nodded approvingly.

"You did very well for your first time. Neither Minato nor I summoned a toad of that size at first. Very impressive, Naruto. I know they'd all be proud of you."

The jinchuuriki nodded his head sadly and Jiraiya frowned. He hadn't meant to cast a shadow over the day's events. Clearing his throat, he gained Naruto's attention once more.

"Come to my office tomorrow at nine. You and I have something to discuss. I'll see you later."

Naruto watched as the man disappeared in a shunshin and sighed. He was happy to accept the toads. He just wished that his family had been there to see it. Deciding that he didn't want to go home at the moment, he opted to visit the memorial stone and then find one of his friends and have lunch. Yeah, that was a good plan.

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Jiraiya walked into the Hokage's office, his office, and sat down in the chair with a sigh. If nothing else went right in his life, at least Naruto had accepted the toads. And with that came the possibility that he could finally do some good in this lifetime. The Seer Toad's prophecy wore heavy on his mind as well. Tomorrow, he was going to introduce his godson into the world of infiltration and spying. He looked up when his door swung open and grimaced. Great, just who he didn't want to see…

Danzo strode in as if he owned the place, his cane thumping against the floorboards. Jiraiya narrowed his eyes and swiveled his chair to better face the crippled man.

"Danzo. You ever hear of knocking?"

The ROOT leader scoffed, but otherwise kept his visage neutral.

"Spare me. What are your intentions as Hokage?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but I plan to lead this village to the best of my ability."

The one-eyed man blinked slowly, the bandages around his head shifting slightly.

"It is my business if it involves this village. I hope that you don't share all of your sensei's pacifist views. We can't afford to sit back and let the world run us over."

Jiraiya glared at the man and sat up a bit straighter.

"I don't know if you've seen the world lately, but Konoha is sitting on top of the shit piles that we call Hidden Villages. We're the strongest because we don't rush into a fight at the drop of a hat. It's called picking your battles, Danzo. Not all of us want to be crippled and blind because we don't know the meaning of the word 'compromise'."

The bandaged man turned on his heel and hobbled to the door.

"Another fool in office that will lead us to ruin is just what this village needs. I hope that my words don't fall on deaf ears, Jiraiya. Look at what happened to Sarutobi."

Jiraiya didn't even flinch when the door slammed shut and spun his chair to look outside.

_'Your words don't fall on deaf ears, old man. I hear you loud and clear.'_

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Naruto stood before the memorial stone, letting his eyes roam over the smooth obsidian surface, searching for names that he knew quite well. Namikaze Minato, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Sarutobi Yahiko…he looked repeatedly for what may be his birth mother's name, but never found it. Not that he knew what it was anyway…

He decided he'd been there long enough when the sun reached its apex. As he took one last glance, he heard a familiar voice.

"Naruto? What are you doing here?"

The blond looked over his shoulder to find Team Seven in its entirety staring at him. Sakura, who had spoken to him, was carrying a bouquet of flowers, offerings in memory of the dead. He gave them a small smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Hi, guys. I'm done here. Didn't mean to hold you up."

Kakashi smiled at the boy, his visible eye crinkling upwards.

"No reason to be in a hurry. There's plenty of room for everyone."

"No. I'm done. I was on my way to get lunch anyway. Good day to you all."

Team Seven watched him walk away with his hands in his pockets. Knowing how the boy was feeling, Kakashi simply turned to the stone and closed his eyes. The quiet didn't last long before Sakura asked him a question as she laid the flowers at the stone's base.

"Sensei, why didn't Naruto cry at the Sandaime's funeral? I mean, that was his grandfather. If it had been me, I would have cried."

The three children heard a sigh escape the Copy Ninja's lips and his normal eye opened slowly, staying half lidded.

"The Twenty-fifth Principle is a tricky proposition, Sakura. You know that it tells us to hold in our emotions, that they only lead to trouble in our field. That holds true outside of battle as well. If Naruto and Asuma had cried during that funeral, it would have dishonored all those who perished before them, including Hokage-sama. Those who miss the dead show no grief on the outside, so that the rest of the world doesn't realize that they're crumbling on the inside."

His eye slowly crinkled into its u-shape, indicating he was smiling. It felt good to give his students advice and it felt even better that they were actually listening this time.

"But…that's why we have comrades. Naruto and Asuma didn't cry at that funeral, but they didn't have to. There were plenty of others who cried for them, so that they didn't have to feel ashamed."

A small thunderclap in the distance made him turn his gaze upward. It would rain later that night; the dark clouds in the distance were rolling their way.

"When I was younger and feeling lost, I was told by my sensei that rain is the gods' way of weeping for those who have fallen. It's also the gods' way of helping those who have lost loved ones to cover their tears. They can weep openly since the rain washes away the evidence of their tears."

His students hung on his every word and for the first time in a long time, Kakashi felt a bit lighter.

"It rained the day we buried my sensei. It was a sad day for everyone. But the rain was cleansing and cathartic. I stood here before the stone in the rain after the funeral, thinking on what all I'd lost. I still do. Lots of people hate the rain, but I find it peaceful. It hides the tears…"

The three genin said nothing, just listening to Kakashi, gaining a rare insight into the man. As time passed, it became clear that he was speaking more to the stone than to them. It was his way of coping…

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Naruto wandered through town with his head down, not wanting to speak to anyone at the moment. He was contemplating on who to ask for lunch. He didn't really want to put up with Anko. Kurenai was probably off doing something on a mission. Most of his peers were helping their families rebuild. He was the only one who didn't have anything to rebuild. Nothing to salvage, nothing to save…he shook his head hard and frowned. Traveling down that path of thought again wasn't going to help anything.

He stopped in the street and looked up at the sun. It was about one o'clock now. He'd wasted a lot of time, just being listless. Inhaling deeply, he shut his eyes. There was nothing else to do…he might as well go help Jiraiya with his paperwork. At least it was something to keep him occupied.

His feet pressed down on the dirty streets, crunching the gravel beneath. The sound floated to his ears, but it was more of a detached distraction than an actual noise to him. People moved out of his way as he walked, hardly any actually acknowledging his presence. He'd thought of going and seeing off the Suna contingent that had come to pick up Gaara, but then thought better of it. He was a catalyst for the boys' temper. Best not to rile things up, especially when the two villages were trying to repair the fragile bond they still shared.

The two guards outside the Hokage's office nodded to him and he walked in. Jiraiya looked up from whatever he was doing and quirked an eyebrow.

"What are you doing here?"

The blond shrugged and leaned over the desk, looking at all the paperwork.

"I don't have anything better to do. Want some help?"

The Toad Sage leaned his head against the back of his chair and sighed.

"It would be appreciated. You can start with this pile over here. I never knew how bad sensei had it while he was in office. Some of these things are so trivial. How am I ever supposed to have time to conduct my research?"

Jiraiya blinked when it became apparent that there was no response and turned his head to find Naruto plugging away at his pile, his pen scratching along the parchment, ignoring everything around him. A grin slowly crawled across the Hokage's face as the cogs in his brain began to turn. He had one more thing to add to what they'd discuss tomorrow.

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Naruto woke the next morning to a dark house, lying on the couch in Asuma's living room. His uncle was still out on a mission, trying to help the village catch up on the backlog they had accumulated. Exhaling a breath, he swung his feet over the couch's edge and let his feet rest on the cold, hardwood floor. His toes wriggled as they became accustomed to the chill and finally he stood and stretched, working out the kinks that the cushions had worked into him before padding into the bathroom.

Splashing water on his face, he looked into the mirror, to find the Kyuubi staring back at him. Ignoring the demon, he continued his morning ministrations. Seeing the red-eyed man looking at him in a reflective surface was just part of life now. Normally the two didn't even register each other, preferring instead to act like they couldn't see the person on the other side of the mirror.

After dressing, the blond looked at the clock and found he only had ten minutes to get to the tower. Without a second thought, he melted into the ground and traveled as fast as he could, emerging with just a couple of minutes to spare right outside the office of Jiraiya. His fist hovered just an inch from the mahogany plank that barred him from his new Hokage as he prepared himself for whatever the perverted author wanted to talk to him about. Two knocks on the wood earned him an 'enter' from the Toad Sage and he walked inside, closing the door behind him.

"Naruto, nice of you to join us. Right on time too. I like that."

The jinchuuriki blinked and took in the room, noticing for the first time that Shikamaru and Shino stood before the desk of the Hokage, looking back at him over their shoulders. The blond boy waved at the two and gave them a grin.

"Hey, guys! What are you two doing here?"

Shino merely blinked and pushed his glasses up on his nose while Shikamaru sighed.

"Troublesome blond. We were told to be here at nine o'clock for a meeting with Hokage-sama."

"Yes, you were. Now, if the three of you would shut up we can get this over with."

The three boys stood at attention before the desk, trying to show some form of professionalism in front of their new Hokage. Jiraiya rolled his eyes and reached under his desk, pulling out three green vests.

"Nara Shikamaru, Aburame Shino, and Uzumaki Naruto. Congratulations on your promotion to chuunin. Now, normally I'm supposed to give a speech about how your lives are changed, but I really don't care. You're ninja of Konoha and you know what your duty entails. The only difference now is that you'll be making decisions for other people."

Jiraiya's eyes roamed over the three, pleasantly surprised that none seemed very surprised by the promotion, although the Nara kid looked annoyed for some reason.

"Since we're in a time of crisis right now, your jounin sensei have been reassigned to more important tasks. As the higher-ranking members of your teams, you'll be expected to lead your squad on missions. Nothing will be given to you over C-rank, so that you'll gain a better understanding of how to properly lead. At times, I'll throw other genin or chuunin into your squad, just to give you variety."

The white-maned man stood from his chair and spread the vests out on his desk.

"Each of you come here and get a vest."

Naruto frowned as he took his vest and slipped it on. Jiraiya's eyes swung from one to the other as they zipped up the vests, before he grinned.

"Welcome to the world of better pay and harder missions, boys. You all have the rest of the day off. Report to your regular teams tomorrow. You're more than welcome to go celebrate with them, however. Just tell the restaurant that the Hokage sent you. Naruto, you stay behind. I have something to talk to you about."

He watched as the three boys congratulated each other, smiling and shaking hands, even the normally stoic Aburame. Once Shino and Shikamaru had gone, Jiraiya sat down in his chair again and motioned to a chair.

"Pull that up. We've got a lot to talk about."

Naruto dragged the chair over in front of the desk and flopped down, decorum taking a backseat between the two. The similarities between the two were astounding. Both were students of the Sandaime, both summoned toads, neither one knew their parents, and both enjoyed literature…although for entirely different reasons. Jiraiya gave what he hoped was a reassuring smile and rested his elbows on the desk.

"First off, I want you to know that your role in the future isn't going to be what your grandfather wanted. For one thing, you were supposed to be the next Hokage. Sadly, that wasn't what happened. Sensei was supposed to hand the mantle over to you when he thought you were ready. But…you are my successor, come hell or high water. I don't care what those idiotic advisors say."

Naruto nodded his head and Jiraiya continued on.

"I need your help, Naruto. You'll have several roles while under my administration. You know this office like the back of your hand and you know when those old fogeys are trying to pull a fast one. You're canny. I need that expertise. I'm not a diplomat. I can get by, but I don't have the administrative background. Hell, I don't even edit my own books. Your time will be split during the day between doing missions with your team and helping me with this god-awful curse that is paperwork."

A small smile crept onto Naruto's face and Jiraiya grinned back. At least they were on the same page so far.

"But…there is another service that you will provide me. One that only you can do because of your special skills. At times, I will have you leave a clone with me and you will follow Danzo."

Naruto sat upright, the conversation taking a decidedly different direction than what he had imagined.

"You mean the same Danzo that I tried to kill?"

"The same. I don't trust him, Naruto, and he doesn't trust me. I'm a student of his greatest rival and he will take every opportunity he can to block whatever I try to do. He's dangerous, kid, really dangerous. Just because he can't fight anymore, doesn't mean that the ninja he's brainwashed can't do his dirty work for him. I want you to find out what he's up to."

"You want me to use my kekkei genkai and spy on him? What if he's doing things that could potentially harm Konoha?"

Jiraiya swiveled his chair so that Naruto could only see half of him, as he stared out over the village, in the direction of the old ROOT headquarters.

"I'm sure he is. I know for a fact that some of those ANBU that were 'stopped' while chasing Orochimaru and his cronies were part of the disbanded ROOT, under Danzo's orders. There weren't supposed to be any uninvited shinobi in that room, emergency council and invited guests only. That ANBU was a ROOT agent, I'm sure of it. I'm the best there is at spying and Danzo made several mistakes. Sometimes doing nothing can incriminate you more than doing something openly."

Naruto nodded his head in understanding.

"But if he is betraying us, then what?"

Jiraiya whipped the chair back around, his eyes hardened, and placed his hands flat on the desk.

"Then you will kill him. Consider it your graduation exam as an assassin. Let me make this perfectly clear to you, Naruto. You don't answer to anyone, ultimately, but me. This is a military state. I am the final word. You are to track Danzo silently, as a spy and assassin. You are to gather information on all his activities. If he wipes with four squares of toilet paper and it has significance, I want to know about it. It could be something subtle that alerts other spies."

Naruto bobbed his head once and Jiraiya's gaze softened.

"I know that this is asking a lot of someone, Naruto, especially a new chuunin, but I know you can do it. You're the only one I can trust to do it."

Naruto shifted in his chair, slightly uncomfortable with this minimal praise.

"Why me? Besides my kekkei genkai, there are several more elite ninja who are just as capable."

"Capable, yes. Loyal? That's debatable. I know I can trust you, Naruto. That said, I'll leave it to you how you spy on Danzo. I just have one more thing before you go. What did Sarutobi-sensei tell you about Akatsuki?"

Naruto blinked and tilted his head to the side.

"Akatsuki? What the hell is that?"

Jiraiya let out a load sigh and tilted his head back, running his gaze over the various patterns on the ceiling.

_'Why, sensei, why? You kept him in the dark about everything.'_

Jiraiya's head dropped and the two locked eyes. The blond wasn't leaving without answers. The white-maned man's chest rose and fell as he filled his lungs with air and exhaled slowly.

"What I'm about to tell you doesn't leave this office, you hear? Not everyone needs to know this. There is an organization out there, composed of the worst criminals this world has ever seen. Orochimaru is a former member. That's how I stumbled across them and their objectives."

Naruto was immediately attentive at the mention of Orochimaru.

"These people want the bijuu, Naruto. They have a way to take the bijuu inside jinchuuriki without releasing the demons back into the world. I don't know how they do it and now that I'm tied down as Hokage, I may never find out. That's why I have to get you trained to be a better spy than me. Your life is in danger."

Naruto just sat unmoving, his hands gripping the arms of the chair tightly.

"They'll take you, Naruto, and they'll hold you until they can extract the beast. When they've gotten what they want, you'll be dead."

"But…but shouldn't my seal prevent that? I was told that if I die, then so does the Kyuubi!"

**Indeed. I don't fancy going ahead of my time.**

Naruto's eyes pled for an answer. Jiraiya's frown deepened.

"I don't know. Your seal is fundamentally different from every other seal on a jinchuuriki. No one has ever involved a god in a sealing before. I don't know what part the Shinigami may play if they try to extract the Kyuubi. It may take both of you out of principle."

Both boy and demon sucked in a quick breath. Suffering in the Shinigami's stomach wasn't an exciting proposition.

"That's just conjecture, Naruto. I don't know. That's one reason I'm glad you agreed to be the new toad summoner. They'll return soon to retrieve you once they're through making preparations."

"Preparations?"

"Yes. You'll be going with the toads to train for an indeterminate amount of time. They know many things, Naruto. They can help you where I can't. We just have to keep you alive until they're ready."

Jiraiya stood up and walked around his desk, standing in front of the blond, and clapped both of his massive hands on the boy's shoulders. With a reassuring smile, he brought the boy to his feet.

"You've grown a lot, kid. I might not have been around for most of your life physically, but I kept tabs on you. I'm proud of you, Naruto. You've taken everything that life has thrown at you with more strength than most adults twice your age could ever muster. Now, go celebrate your promotion. Hang out. I'll expect you and your team to come here early tomorrow."

Naruto smiled and bowed to Jiraiya.

"Of course, Hokage-sama. But why my whole team?"

Jiraiya sent the boy a mock glare and then grinning.

"It's just Jiraiya. And I want your whole team here because you're going to introduce them to the concept of chuunin duties. Now, get lost. I've got work to do and meetings to attend to."

Naruto nodded and shut the door behind him. He had taken no more than two steps when a weight landed on his back and a silky voice purred in his ear.

"Mmmm…chuunin jailbait. You're looking yummier every second you get older."

The blond rolled his eyes and relaxed.

"I thought you'd be on a mission, Anko-sensei."

The woman slid around to his front and put a hand over her sizable breasts, with a pout on her face.

"And miss your promotion? Not a chance. It's just too bad Kure-chan isn't here. I know she didn't want to miss it. That just means that I'll have to make up for her lack of presence…and what, may I ask, is this?"

Naruto blinked as she pulled an orange book from his vest pocket and skimmed a few pages. He titled his head in confusion at the big red warning on its cover and his eyes widened as Anko began to chuckle.

"Oh, Naru-chan, you naughty boy! If you wanted instruction on the proper techniques for sexual battle in the bedroom, you should have come to your Mistress."

"But…I didn't…"

Anko slipped her arm through his, patting his hand as she licked her lips. Messing with her favorite blond was so much fun.

"Now, now, you just let Anko-sensei take care of everything. I think I'll start you off as my pet first. I've always wanted to tame a fox."

On the other side of door, Jiraiya listened to the footsteps as she led his newest chuunin away, stammering and stuttering. His pencil flew across the page as he giggled.

_'The sensei and the student. Oh, such a naughty scene…I wonder if she was serious about the Mistress thing?'_

A perverse giggle flew from his lips and he strode back to his desk, his mood lifted considerably. At least he knew the kid would be forced to read his book now. That's what the brat got for calling him 'Hokage-sama' as if he actually meant it.

He looked at the pictures of the previous Hokage on the wall and sighed as he leaned heavily back into his seat. His sensei had left quite a mess. His gaze lingered on the Yondaime's picture far longer than it had on the others.

He'd tell the boy before he left with the toads. Yes, that's what he'd do…

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"I can't believe you made chuunin. That is so totally not fair."

"Yeah, man. I thought it was a team effort."

Naruto sighed as Akamaru barked his agreement with his master and shifted on his feet.

"Come on, guys. Let's not do this. It's not like I'm the only one who made chuunin…"

Ino puffed at the strand of hair in front of her face and planted her hands on her hips.

"Now what? You're going off to bigger and better things without us?"

"No, Ino. I'm not. The only difference now is that I'll be the commanding officer when Kurenai-sensei isn't here. And I'll be going on some missions with senior chuunin to get me acclimated to the role. And I'll be helping the Hokage with his administrative duty after our daily missions."

Kiba growled and kicked the dirt at his feet.

"Well, isn't that just fine and dandy. Back in the Hokage's office again?"

Naruto grinned and the two were immediately on edge.

"It's not just me who's going to be in the office. You two are going to be right there with me."

Ino turned her head to the side as she glared at her teammate.

"What do you mean?"

Naruto grinned as he threw his arms around the two's neck, ruffling Akamaru's fur with his hand.

"I get to teach you two how to file things and fill out mission reports. It'll be fun!"

"What? No way, man! I'm a ninja, not a desk jockey!"

"Yeah, Naruto! You can't make us!"

The jinchuuriki pushed his teammates forward along the path to the tower, his grin widening with each step.

"I don't have to. Hokage's orders."

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Once Ino and Kiba were situated and had their own piles of papers, Naruto excused himself and reported to Jiraiya. The Toad Sage motioned for him to close the door and Naruto slid it shut before making his way to the desk.

"Enjoy the book?"

Naruto glared at the man and growled. Jiraiya's smirk didn't falter.

"No, I didn't. Anko wanted to try chapter three with me, but I'm not into BDSM."

Jiraiya's eyes glinted and he leaned forward.

"You know, you're missing out with Anko. She'd break you in right. Hell, she might even be willing to let you…"

"Thank you, I'll pass."

The Hokage sighed and shrugged.

"Fine, fine. But don't wait too long. She might find another toy better than you. Now then, make a clone and give it plenty of chakra. You're going hunting today."

Naruto blinked and made a kage bunshin.

"Already? I thought…"

"We need to move now. Danzo isn't worried about you at the moment. He thinks he has you cowed. Follow him. Find out what he's up to. Report back to only me. Now go."

Naruto nodded and melted into the floor, leaving his clone with the Hokage. Jiraiya grinned and pointed to the desk in the corner.

"You can get started on those documents."

The clone huffed and picked up the pile of papers as it headed to the door. It wouldn't do to let Ino and Kiba slack off just yet.

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The black and white vision that came with being in something solid made Naruto nostalgic for his times when he and his grandfather were trying to figure out its applications. Those were better times and despite his young age, they seemed a lifetime ago. He had searched long and hard to find Danzo, until he'd finally found him speaking with Homura and Koharu.

He'd followed the old man across Konoha, right up to a building in one of the poorer districts. His eyes narrowed. What was a prominent figure of Konoha doing in one of the seedier areas? He moved along, following after the cripple.

_'Let's see what you're up to, old man.'_

**And cut. Naruto begins to shadow Danzo next chapter. Let me know what you think.**


	32. Spying

And here's Chapter 32. I know this took a while, but I have just recently gotten back my inspiration and drive. I apologize for the delay. Hopefully, a block of this magnitude will not happen for a long, long time. I hate stopping in the middle of a story. On the plus side, I got a lot of video game playing in. Any way, I hope you enjoy this. Now over 4000 reviews! Thank you all very much! And thank all of you who read An Uzumaki Amongst the Dunes. Over 900k hits. That's fucking incredible. Let's see if we can't top that, shall we? Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...**Say I**_ by Creed._

**CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO**

Danzo moved along at a steady, hobbling pace, his cane clicking along the floor as he went. Naruto followed along underneath him silently through the stone, watching for whatever may come. The talk with Homura and Koharu had been uneventful. Seriously, old people and their talk of the weather and tea and whether or not Jiraiya was a suitable choice...well...he was sure the pervert would be interested in _that_ little conversation.

The old cripple finally came to a stop in a room on the first floor and sat down in a chair, pointed forward to the eastern wall. Naruto blinked and cocked his head to the side as he floated in the mortar. A map of Konoha was splayed across the cracked and dirty wall, with the Hokage tower circled several times. Danzo stared ahead at the picture, his cane rapping on the floor several times.

To Naruto's surprise, a man appeared below him and he barely made it out of the way before a section of the floor was pushed upward to reveal a staircase that he hadn't noticed, even with his vision. The stone staircase leading downward was concealed so well and looked just like the rest of the floor. Ah well, the downside of having black and white vision. Shades of gray can blend in with each other so well when there's a pattern.

The masked man bowed his head to Danzo and stood to the side as the old man crept down the stone stairwell, his cane tapping out a rhythm as he went. Naruto could see now why Anko preferred assassination to spying. The waiting game could get old after a while. Danzo, thankfully, was not one for subtlety when it came to his minions.

"Has the message been sent to the Daimyo?"

The mask beside him bobbed up and down.

"Hai, Danzo-sama. The message has been sent. Our agents should return within the next few days as long as there are no complications on the way."

"Good. Everything else going as planned?"

"Hai, Danzo-sama."

"Excellent. So long as we remain vigilant, the roots of Konoha will never rot. We will not let the tree fall because of the silly ideals of the idiots that would rule us. Now, return to your post. I have other business to attend to."

The masked man bowed again and disappeared back into the stairwell while Danzo continued on. Naruto's eyes narrowed when they came out of the tunnel and into what appeared to be a small city complex underneath Konoha. He'd never heard his grandfather speak of this place, so it was either top secret or unknown to him. He'd bet more on unknown, but then, his grandfather had known that telling a preteen military secrets was a big no-no. Children tend to blab after all, even if they mean well.

He had to find out what the message to the Daimyo had been. If the ruler of Fire Country was double-dealing behind the Hokage's back, then that was unforgivable. The two rulers were supposed to work side by side for the betterment of the country and if one had gotten greedy...well...officials were assassinated all the time. And if the man was working with Danzo?

Icing on the cake...

But that remained to be seen. He'd tell all of this to Jiraiya and get his opinion on it. Even if the man was an unabashed pervert, he was still wise to the ways of the world and a much better spy than Naruto. Hashing out good information from bad was the man's specialty. Oh, and he'd have to find out who that ROOT agent was as well. So much to do, so little time. With that in mind, he continued to follow Danzo from underneath.

More winding and turning eventually lead them before a steel door at the end of a corridor. There were several more lining the hallway that they were in, but for him to stop in front of this one meant it housed something special. Not waiting for Danzo to open the door, he maneuvered himself into the room to get a better look around. He was surprised to find a boy his age sitting on a small futon in the corner, doodling on a pad of paper, illuminated by a single candle.

The door creaked open and the boy's eyes squinted to get a better look at the person who had invaded his privacy. When he realized who it was, he got on his knees and bowed low to the man before him.

"Danzo-sama. Do you need me again for something?"

The old cripple's eye went from the prostrated boy to the pad lying beside him on the bed.

"I've told you before that such things are useless to a shinobi. Holding on to things of the past, to sentiment, will make you weak. The only reason I allow you to keep your drawing pad is that you have never failed me before."

The boy nodded his head.

"Thank you, Danzo-sama."

If Danzo was impressed by this, he took no notice. Naruto, however, did notice that the boy's face never once twitched with emotion. It was as if his face was a blank slate, no feeling at all. This boy was definitely ROOT.

"I shall need your services very soon. I will need your skill and your loyalty. Soon, a team of shinobi will need a replacement. They are your age. Since you are the only agent closest in age to them, you will need to study and practice the faking of emotion and caring for your comrades."

The confused look on the boy's face was echoed by Naruto. Danzo merely blinked and continued.

"We of ROOT know that emotion is a hindrance. However, to the rest of the world, it is a normal thing, and we must use that to our advantage. Being able to fake that we care or that we feel, is our greatest advantage. You will study this and prepare yourself for when I will call you. I will ensure that you are put in a position that will be favorable to us. It will take some time before this can come to pass, so you have plenty of time. Do not dawdle and do not fail Konoha."

The boy bowed lower till his head touched the floor.

"Hai, Danzo-sama. I shall not fail you."

"See that you don't."

Naruto watched as Danzo walked out of the room and remained for a moment to study the boy in front of him. Pale skin, probably from being inside so long. Dark hair cut short and clothed in plain black pants and a black shirt. All in all, he didn't look that special, but Naruto knew what Danzo looked for. This kid had something. And he had a hunch that that drawing pad had a lot to do with it. Oh well, a mystery for another time.

He caught back up to Danzo with little trouble, since the man's shuffling walk wasn't very quick, and followed along beneath him back to the street level. Once there, he began the arduous task of meandering through the streets again until he came to Danzo's modest home. For someone who professed that emotions and possessions were frivolous, Danzo certainly had enough momentos in his house.

Mounted on a plaque above the mantle was the man's sword, still gleaming from its last sharpening and cleaning years ago. It seemed a waste that such a weapon would never see battle again, but it wasn't for Naruto to decide. As the warhawk began to fix himself a pot of tea, Naruto checked out the rest of the house, searching for anything incriminating.

Sadly, there wasn't much. Just as Jiraiya had told him, Danzo wasn't one to leave things lying about that could be used as evidence against him, even in his own home. The hitai-ate from his youth sat on a dresser facing a Western style bed. Apparently, it was easier to get in and out of than a futon. Nothing else interesting was seen and he didn't want to chance rifling through the man's belongings with him there, so he maneuvered himself so he could better watch what Danzo was up to.

After fixing his tea, the advisor sat down in a comfortable chair and sipped at his piping hot beverage while reading a book. After three hours of this, Naruto called it quits and left the premises. A few blocks away, he emerged from the ground in an alleyway and leaned back against the wall. He hadn't used his kekkei genkai for such a prolonged amount of time in quite a while. While not exactly taxing, it was still something that required his concentration. After all, leaving a piece of his body stuck out because he was careless was a huge mistake.

After catching his breath and feeling better about the situation, he left to report to Jiraiya. It was now nighttime and he was sure that it would be best to report directly to the Hokage on these matters.

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Jiraiya had been busy while Naruto was gone. He'd gotten a lot of paperwork done, but the most important thing he'd accomplished was the dispatch of a certain team for a certain purpose.

_Not long after Naruto had left, three knocks sounded from the door and Jiraiya called out for whoever was at the door to enter. Three ninja walked in wearing the cloak and mask of ANBU and bowed._

"_Hokage-sama. We came at your request."_

_Jiraiya eyed them all with great scrutiny, making them shift slightly. He wasn't sure who to trust during his regime. Anyone could be a spy, a double-agent, or a member of ROOT. Just because they were loyal on the surface, didn't mean that they were loyal to the bone. Danzo had them brainwashed into thinking that loyalty to him was the same as loyalty to Konoha. He'd have to fix that. But, in the meantime..._

"_Bear, Ox, Bird...I need you to go on an extended mission to find someone for me. She is a very important part of what I hope to bring to Konoha. I want you to find Tsunade and give her a message from me. You are to give her this scroll and wait while she reads it. If she accepts the terms, you are to return as her escort."_

_Jiraiya's eyes glinted for a second with mirth._

"_However, I don't expect her to return peacefully. If she decides to deny my terms, then you are to try to convince her on your own. Do not push her too much. She can get...belligerent. Especially when she's been drinking. If she thinks you're pushing too much, she may decide to push back. If it comes to that, retreat. Do not engage her. Leave the message, return here, and report to me. I'll decide what to do from there. Any questions?"_

_The three shared looks before Ox nodded._

"_Does Shizune still travel with her?"_

"_Yes. My sources say that Shizune does indeed travel with her and is a voice of reason. She might be the only thing keeping Tsunade sane at this point. If talking with Tsunade fails, try Shizune, but be discreet. If Tsunade thinks you're trying to influence her ward, she may kill you...or at the very least, maim you."_

_Bird tilted her head to the side in thought._

"_Why do you want Tsunade-sama back now?"_

_Jiraiya turned his head to face Bird, making her squirm slightly._

"_That's for me to know. It's in the scroll for her to read only. Do not open it. Understood?"_

_The three nodded as one and Jiraiya grinned._

"_Well then, I'd suggest you start in one of the outlying towns that has large gambling facilities. It's no secret that she frequents such places. If you ask some of the local shady gambling houses, you should be able to follow her debt trail. Now get going. I wish you luck and a speedy return."_

_The three saluted and left, shutting the door behind them. Jiraiya's grin slowly dipped into a frown and he swiveled his chair to face the giant panoramic window that faced the city. The faces of his predecessors seemed to stare down at him with disdain. A sigh escaped his lips as his eyes closed._

_He wasn't meant to hold the title of Hokage. He was much too free-spirited and his spy ring was a much needed tool of Konoha's. Besides that, Naruto needed guidance and someone who could keep an eye on the Akatsuki. Things were not as they should be. With a grunt, he pushed his chair around and faced his paperwork again. The sound of scribbling filled the air for nearly an hour as he worked undisturbed._

_He had been reading a document on trade between Suna and Konoha, still a touchy subject after the invasion, when another knock came from the doorway and Kurenai walked in, her normally immaculate appearance somewhat muddled from her travels._

"_Mission complete, Hokage-sama. I was able to intercept the caravan and get back the item you requested."_

_Jiraiya took in the woman's hectic look, his eyes wandering up and down her body, and grinned stupidly, ignoring the warning look on her face._

"_You look so tense, Kurenai-chan, and you look a mess. Besides being a world class massuese, I also give a great body wash..."_

_The look Kurenai gave him could have frozen flame._

"_Thank you, but I'll pass, Hokage-sama."_

_Jiraiya sighed and held out his hand for the object he had requested._

"_When are you ladies going to learn how to loosen up? I swear, you're all so uptight."_

"_Perhaps if you didn't try to be a pervert right off the bat, your advances would hold more water, Hokage-sama."_

_Kurenai fought back a small smile as the elderly degenerate hung his head in defeat. It was good that their leader knew how to joke around, but she simply could not stand the way he went about it. What if the Tsuchikage, a fellow female, were to visit and be hit on by Jiraiya? Aside from the hilarity that would ensue, it was a diplomatic fiasco in the makings._

_Hopefully, having a whole village hanging onto his coattails would curb his infantile desires and pursuits..._

_Jiraiya gave one last heaving sigh and looked up, the silly grin gone as he ran his hand over the object Kurenai had brought back._

"_Good work, Yuuhi Kurenai. You may log back in and receive your pay. Oh, and before I forget, I'm giving you a few days with your team. I know that you'd probably like some time with them."_

_This brought a smile and a relieved feeling to Kurenai. It had been a while since she'd been with her team and being on missions all the time hampered that quite a bit._

"_Thank you, Hokage-sama. I appreciate that. And on that note, what has my team been up to?"_

_Jiraiya stored the object she had retrieved for him and grinned evilly._

"_Oh yeah, your team...they're down in the archives, learning how to file and read mission reports. Naruto is in charge and I don't think the other two are very happy with him. You'll find them on the bottom floor. Now go somewhere else if you won't model for me."_

_The air became icy again as Kurenai's eyes narrowed._

"_Thank you, Hokage-sama. I'll take my leave now."_

_Jiraiya shivered as the woman left to find her team, the door sliding shut with just a bit more force than necessary. A quick shudder set him back right._

_'Geeze, you'd think that she'd be more open to things with the way she dresses...ah, well...her attitude will make for an interesting character in my next book.'_

_With a perverse chuckle, he returned to his work._

It had been several hours since Kurenai had come and gone and there was no one left in the Hokage tower except the guards. He was beginning to worry that Naruto had slipped up somehow when a head began to emerge from the floor beside his desk. The blue eyes in the head roamed around the room for a moment before settling on Jiraiya.

"Report."

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"And that's everything I saw and heard."

Jiraiya rubbed his chin and leaned back in his seat, one leg thrown over the other, his wooden geta hanging from his toes by a strap.

"Well...I know that those three aren't really happy with my appointment, even if I was the only available option. I'm not exactly what people look for in a Hokage. And you're sure that that was all they talked about?"

"Word for word."

"Hmmm...alright then. Now, about this letter to the Daimyo..."

Naruto sighed and shook his head.

"They didn't say anything about what was in it."

"Well, I can always find out later. I have a few agents inside the Daimyo's court. What about this ROOT agent? Who was he?"

"I don't know."

"Could you identify him and find out?"

"Yeah, probably. He wore a plain mask with red tribal marks on it. I don't think he was ANBU though. It was probably to hide his identity until he felt he was safe to reveal himself."

"More than likely. Any other identification marks?"

Naruto closed his eyes, trying to imagine the man again.

"Average height, dark hair, pulled back into a ponytail that fanned out slightly."

"Complexion?"

"Couldn't tell. He was covered head to toe."

Jiraiya gave a 'hmph' and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Alright then. This boy you saw. Tell me about him. What you saw, what he sounded like, everything."

Naruto took a breath and nodded.

"He was pale and his voice was very quiet. He didn't appear to have much contact with the outside world. I'd presume that he's been kept in those bunkers for several years. Danzo is his master. As soon as the door opened, he was prostrated on the ground. He keeps a drawing pad with him. Danzo said that if it weren't for the fact that he'd never failed him that he would take it away."

Naruto stopped for a moment to make sure Jiriaya was getting all this and got a hand motion for him to continue.

"The pad, I suspect, is part of his arsenal. I don't know how, but I suspect that. Danzo isn't known for being lenient to his subjects, at least, from what I gathered from Jiji. The boy is around my age, but I've never seen him before. I think that's it."

Jiraiya exhaled deeply and locked eyes with Naruto, completely serious.

"That's a perfect example of how you could have turned out. Danzo's training program doesn't produce ninja, it produces robots that answer only to him. They believe themselves loyal to Konoha through him, even though they do everything without the Hokage acknowledging anything. Essentially, it's treason, but without concrete evidence, it's just circumstance."

The Toad Sage put his hands to his eyes and rubbed them wearily.

"You did good today, kid. We know a little more about things now. I'll find out if Danzo is trying to back door me through the Daimyo and I'll look into these bunkers beneath the tower. I don't remember Minato mentioning them either when he was Hokage."

He noticed Naruto flinch at the name 'Minato' and filed that away in the back of his mind. They'd been at this a while now and both were tired. Jiraiya glanced at the clock and yawned.

"Alright, kid, let's wrap it up. Tomorrow you have a normal meeting with your team and I won't ask you to follow Danzo twice in a row. We'll have to make it random, so no one suspects anything. If you happen to notice anything suspicious though, don't be afraid to act on it. You have my full support."

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

Jiraiya frowned and swatted at the now standing Naruto, who jumped back to avoid the large hand.

"Stop calling me that! We were both students of the same man."

Naruto grinned and folded his arms over his chest, his large canines giving off a glow in the soft light.

"Yeah, but you're still my elder, always will be, and you're technically my ruler. Shouldn't I give you honor?"

"I'll give you some honor..."

Before Jiraiya could reach him, Naruto melted into the floor and his laugh echoed throughout the office.

"_Sorry, you old deviant, but I haven't been caught yet if I didn't want to be. You'll have to try harder next time."_

The white-maned Hokage glared at the spot where his young subordinate had been before he began to chuckle quietly to himself.

_'Hm, hm, hm. He just gave me an idea for my next book. A pervert with the ability to get away before he gets pounded into the dirt like a tent stake in the summer...yessss...I can see it now...'_

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Kurenai hadn't felt so at ease in quite some time. Ever since the invasion she'd been on constant call, always away on missions. Her team was more prepared than others though and had handled her being away very well. In fact, they'd gotten a taste of what all chuunin had to go through at some point in their career. Filing away mission reports and being the Hokage's errand runners weren't the funnest things in the world, but they were necessary.

Her trained ears could hear a disturbance up ahead and she automatically became stealthier, creeping toward where her team normally met. She leaped quietly into a tree and crouched on a sturdy branch, her hands coming up slowly and parting the leaves. Her cheeks expanded as she held in a laugh at what she saw.

Naruto, Kiba, and Ino were all standing around, watching the two small creatures at their feet. Akamaru's tail stood straight in the air as he sniffed around Gamakichi, who sat still as a rock, his eyes trailing the puppy carefully. He was unfamiliar with dogs, but he was almost as big as the puppy and figured if it came to a fight, he could take him. Besides, Naruto wouldn't let him get hurt.

Akamaru inched closer and sniffed at Gamakichi's backside, causing the little toad to stiffen up even more. He could just barely see the puppy's tail now out of his peripheral vision, wagging back and forth, tempting him...his tongue licked across his lips out of habit. He knew it was Akamaru's tail, but...it was so enticing...

The little white dog crouched a bit lower, his eyes glued to Gamakichi's back, his nose working like crazy to get all the information he could. The toad smelled like oil and bugs...and slightly like tobacco. He leaned in a bit further, his wet nose touched Gamakichi's skin...and the next thing Akamaru knew his tail was inside something warm and sticky.

Gamakichi was twitching by now. The tail kept calling to him, begging him to bite it. The final straw for the titular toad was when a wet nose touched his back. Unable to stop himself, his tongue lashed out and caught the white tail, dragging it into his mouth. He heard a yelp and suddenly he was airborn.

Kurenai couldn't help laughing out loud at the scene below her. Not that her team noticed. They were too busy howling with laughter as Akamaru dragged Gamakichi around the training grounds, yelping more in surprise than pain, while the son of Gamabunta tried to dislodge his tongue from the fuzzy appendage while dodging rocks. The genjutsu mistress hopped out of the tree and approached her subordinates, her hand held to her mouth as she tried to suppress the giggles.

"Alright, boys, that's enough. Break them up."

Kiba stopped laughing at the two creatures' misfortune and helped Naruto dislodge his puppy's tail from the maw of Gamakichi. Akamaru whimpered at the loss of some of his fur while the toad summon hacked and coughed.

**Ewww...it tastes like wet dog...**

A growl and yip from Akamaru only brought on more hacking. Naruto patted Gamakichi's back to help him, but it only irritated him more.

**Yeah, well...you shouldn't have sniffed me. You deserve to lose some fur.**

_Grrrrr...._

**You wait till I get bigger. We'll see who's tougher then.**

Another growl and Gamakichi puffed up like a balloon.

**Oh yeah? You'll never get as big as I will, you stinking...**

"Gamakichi, Akamaru, behave."

The iron voice of Kurenai, even when she was in a good mood, made the familiar and the summon cower and seek safer ground. Akamaru crawled into Kiba's warm coat, while Gamakichi leaped onto Naruto's head, seeking safety in the bushy head of yellow hair. Kurenai's eyes gleamed with mirth. The two animals looked silly cowering in fear, one tucked away in a coat and the other nestled amongst golden locks.

A happy sigh escaped her lips. She'd missed this.

"Hello, everyone. It's been a while since we were all together. It's good to see you all again."

The three echoed back in kind, each with their own enthusiastic greeting. Kurenai's smile widened a bit. Yes, she had truly missed her team. She didn't think she'd ever get to actually admit that, at least to herself. The three kids had grown on her in their time together.

"Good to see that you're all enthusiastic about our being together again. Why don't you tell me what all you've been up to and then we'll have a bit of team practice? If I'm impressed enough, lunch will be on me."

The eager looks on her team's faces was all she needed to have a good day.

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The next month passed like a breeze for Naruto. His time was split between his team and spying on ROOT for Jiraiya. He didn't learn much during his time spying, but it was excellent practice for him. As his confidence in his ability grew, so did his boldness in dealing with ROOT.

He'd spied on the kid locked in the cell several times, but to no avail. He wanted to see what was in that pad so badly, but the boy never relinquished it unless Danzo was in the room with him. And if Danzo wasn't with him, then he was training his body with another ROOT agent in preparation for his team assignment. No ninjutsu, which just about drove Naruto crazy. He wanted to see what was so special...

He'd infiltrated Danzo's house several times when the man had been out doing whatever it was he did. Naruto might not have liked the old cripple, scratch that, he hated him with a burning passion...but he had to admire the man's deviousness. Not one incriminating thing in his house. He'd torn it apart, figuratively, and couldn't find one damn thing.

Jiraiya himself had gone into the bunkers to see things, using all his cunning and toad-based ninjutsu to keep himself camouflaged. They weren't able to penetrate very far into the base, but he had seen enough. Danzo had a secret base all to himself and no telling how many followers within Konoha's own military.

A month after he'd dispatched the team to find Tsunade and a month after he'd let Naruto loose on ROOT, Jiraiya found himself with a little free time in his schedule. He'd just kicked back with some sake within his grasp and his notepad in his hand, trying to garner some inspiration from the beauties that had walked through his office. He'd just struck a goldmine with literary representations of Anko and Kurenai doing naughty things to a certain blond when three ANBU burst through his door.

Paper scattered everywhere as Jiraiya leapt into action, slamming the two male ANBU into the wall and grabbing the female by the throat from behind, his other arm holding her arms to her side while dangerously close to her breasts. He was just about to feel her up (spoils of war) when one of the males coughed and called out.

"Hokage-sama! Stop! Bear, Ox, and Bird reporting."

Jiraiya blinked and looked down at the much smaller woman in his grasp, taking in her haggard appearance and grinned lecherously.

"Well, a quick grope to insure that she's really a Konoha kunoichi..."

The tired kunoichi shrugged him off and walked to the desk, her chin tilted upward, while her teammates joined her. Jiraiya sighed and walked back around his desk, grumbling to himself about uptight women and flopped down into his chair.

"Report."

Ox saluted and began.

"We found Tsunade-sama in the Port City. She and Shizune-san were trolling the backalleys looking for cheap gambling houses when we came upon them. We introduced ourselves as ninja of Konoha and were told by Tsunade-sama to, as she put it, 'fuck off'."

Jiraiya closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the headrest.

"Gods, she hasn't changed a bit. Continue."

"Hai, Hokage-sama. We informed her that we had a scroll for her from the new Hokage. This piqued her interest and she demanded we hand over the scroll, after asking who the new Hokage was. We told her it was you and she burned the scroll without ever looking at it. Shizune-san reprimanded her and was told to be quiet."

"Figured that. Shizune always was the voice of reason between the two of them."

"Hai. Tsunade-sama then gave us a message to you. She said "Tell that pervert that I'm not coming back to Konoha just to be eye candy for him. Nor am I coming back for some misguided sense of duty to a village that has taken everything from me." We tried to talk to her ourselves after that...and she broke Bear's arm, before threatening to break off another part of his anatomy. We left immediately after, like you said."

Ox shifted in his place and Jiraiya quirked an eyebrow.

"What else?"

Bird took up the narrative.

"We followed her for a bit after that, keeping out of sight. She was worried that we were on her trail now and the two of them took off for another city. The safe bet would be that they won't stop until they reach the border by Amegakure. She'll more than likely be in the Border Town."

Jiraiya nodded his head and pulled out a paper, scribbling away on it. Bear coughed into his hand and spoke up.

"Do you wish for us to follow after her again, Hokage-sama?"

Jiraiya looked up from his scribbling and shook his head.

"No. The three of you have done enough. Take this missive to the records room and log yourselves out for a weeks vacation. I'll send a different team to retrieve her this time."

He could feel the relief roll off the three's shoulders, especially Bear's, as they bowed and left his office. Jiraiya swiveled his chair and looked out to the Hokage monument, where they had started construction on his head. He hated it already. It should have been Tsunade in the chair, wearing the hat and robe. He had other things to do besides lead. He had other roles to fill.

But now he couldn't. He had to insure that Konoha would prosper. And for that, he needed Tsunade. Sarutobi may not have let her idea of medics on every team come to fruition, but he'd be damned if he didn't implement it.

It was an idea that could save lives...and she was the only one he trusted to get the program up and running. She had to stop running. It was time to come home...and he had just the team for the job. It would be a great first mission as chuunin for them. A great practice of diplomacy and negotiation. And they'd get to meet a legend in the flesh...and the biggest set of tits on the planet.

The boys could thank him later.

He pressed the little red button on his desk and spoke into the monitor.

"Have someone fetch Nara Shikamaru, Aburame Shino, and Uzumaki Naruto for me. I have a mission for the three of them."

**And I move to further the plot. Three fresh chuunin, a lazy one, a quiet one, and a jinchuuriki go to fetch a legend. Let me know what you think.**


	33. The Devil is in the Details

And here's Chapter 33. I'll spare you an excuse. Let's just say that visitors are annoying and put a damper on writing time. Hope you enjoy. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...**It Ends Tonight**_ by The All-American Rejects._

_I made a forum recently for the purpose of finding out what my readers like and loathe about my writing style. Drop by the forum and let me know what you think. I'll take criticism and add my own two cents as well at times. Be polite and mind your manners as far as language goes. Other than that, consider it an open forum._

**CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE**

Jiraiya was scratching away at a document concerning one thing or the other when his door slowly slid open and a blond head of hair popped in. A slight tilt of his head and a roll of his eyes let the Hokage see who it was. He grunted and his vision returned to his paper.

"You're early. Have a seat. The others should be along shortly."

Naruto nodded, not that the Toad Sage saw it, and sat down gingerly in the chair, keeping the noise to a minimum. He sat in silence for a moment, the only sound in the room that of Jiraiya's mumbling and the pen scratching along the paper.

"Need any help?"

"Nope. I got it."

The pen kept scratching away and Naruto fidgeted a bit in his seat. He didn't know why he was here or who these 'others' were and he hated not being in the know. His inquisitive mind was burning through what this could possibly be about, but he kept drawing blanks. A knock came from the door and Jiraiya told them to enter without looking up. Naruto peered around the high back of his chair to see who it was.

A bored looking Shikamaru stood in the doorway, waiting for permission to sit or to be told to remain standing. Naruto quirked an eyebrow, wondering why Shikamaru was there, when Jiraiya spoke again.

"Sit down. There's one more coming. He should be here shortly."

The Nara clucked his tongue at the somewhat rude dismissal, but shrugged it off and took a seat beside Naruto, his right elbow on the arm of the chair and his cheek resting against his hand. His eyes cut over to the whiskered boy beside him and he sighed.

"So...why are we here? Do you know?"

Naruto was about to answer, but was cut off by the self-proclaimed Super Pervert.

"Don't talk. You don't discuss mission parameters unless the entire team is present. That way no one is left out. I'll explain it all once your final member is here. Until then, sit there and shut up. You're ruining my concentration."

The two boys glared at their Hokage, both slightly miffed that he didn't even bother with looking at them, and leaned back in their chairs. The door knocked again and Jiraiya called out again, somewhat gruffly.

"Who is it?"

"Aburame Shino, Hokage-sama."

"It's about time. Get in here and take a seat."

The door slid open a final time and a perturbed looking Shino walked in. One could tell without even knowing the Aburame very well that he missed the more formal air of Sarutobi Hiruzen's reign. The door slid shut with a 'clack' behind him and he sat down gingerly in his seat, nodding tightly to Naruto and Shikamaru. Jiraiya's pen was still scratching away at the paper, his face scrunched in concentration.

"Just a minute, boys. I'll be through in a bit."

The three listened as he mumbled to himself some more, the pen moving faster and faster before it was slammed down with a happy air.

"There! Finished! Whaddya think?"

He held up the paper and all three boys blushed and blubbered, but none looked away. Emblazoned upon the parchment was a woman who could have been a goddess, her body full of womanly curves, lithe and inviting, a beautiful face framed by lustrous hair falling long down her back, and a mammoth pair of mammaries that couldn't possibly be real for a normal human frame. The diamond tattoo in the middle of her forehead was sexy as well. Naruto, being somewhat of a pervert himself and more used to dealing with such things, was the first to recover.

"You brought us here to review a freaking pornographic drawing for your next book? What kind of Hokage are you?"

Jiraiya's face was as straight as it could be as he continued to hold the drawing up.

"Actually, this is study material for the three of you. I want you to remember this face, these curves...mmm, curves...and these...these..."

Naruto glared at his leader for zoning out because of his own drawing and snapped his fingers in front of the man's face, waking Shikamaru and Shino from their own temporary comas. Jiraiya shook his head and continued as if he'd never stopped.

"...these luscious legs and especially, and this is really important, these almighty tits. Observe the areolas and how tiny they are in comparison to the rest of the milk sacs. Her hair is blond, lighter than yours Naruto, and not as rough. The mark on her forehead is blue in color..."

"You perverted old lecher! We don't have time to waste with your damn porn!"

Jiraiya threw the boy a stern look.

"Settle down, Uzumaki. This _is_ important."

Naruto blinked and leaned back in his chair again, sharing confused looks with his cohorts. If this was important, why was their Hokage showing them his dirty drawings? Jiraiya answered his question with another drawing.

"Now look at this one, all of you. Study it."

The boys watched as he held up another drawing, this one of a much more slender woman, but nonetheless a beauty in her own right.

"Observe that her boobs are nowhere near as large, but still pleasant to look at regardless. Her nipples are bigger than the other woman's, but they don't detract from enjoying the awesomeness of the boobage. Her body is more streamlined than the first, but believe me when I say that she can use it. Her hair is a dark black and is cut short. It makes her look tomboyish, in a cute sort of way. Her face is all feminine though. Notice the nice roundness of her thighs and the shy smile. She has a natural beauty."

Despite their initial misgivings, the three young chuunin were starting to get into it. Shikamaru hummed to himself and closed his eyes, letting the images burn into his mind. It would be troublesome if his mother found out...but...

"Why do neither of them have hair on their...uh...nether regions?"

Jiraiya chuckled and turned the paper to admire his handiwork. It was so much fun to pervert the youth...

"It's because I don't know if either one shaves or not."

Shino's eyebrow quirked above his glasses. If these were mere drawings, why was the Hokage speaking as if they were real? The Aburame weren't known for their libido, but he was still a pubescent boy after all.

"The...ahem...breasts on the first woman seem to be impossibly large. How can they withstand the pull of gravity?"

Jiraiya tilted his head to the side and rubbed his chin in thought.

"You know...I've never thought of that. I've always just accepted that they don't sag. It does beg the question of how she does it, doesn't it?"

The boys all shared strange looks once more. His way of describing the caricatures made them seem as if they were models of real people. Jiraiya sat the drawings down on his desk and laughed at the confused looks and blushes on the three's faces, noticing with some pride that Naruto was the least embarrassed. A worthy heir of multiple perverts...

"Alright, you three. I had you look at those pictures with no advance warning because I knew that your young minds would burn them into your memory. That'll be important for what I have in mind for you. You'll need to remember those faces and those bodies."

Shikamaru was now intrigued, despite his best efforts to remain otherwise. He loved puzzles.

"Why is that, Hokage-sama?"

"I'm getting there. Besides the fact that I am an awesome artist of the human body, particularly of the female persuasion, these drawings were necessary for your next mission. Your first solo mission as chuunin to be exact."

Their attention solely on him now, Jiraiya adopted a more authoritative air.

"Back in the days when the Sandaime was in his first reign, my teammate, Tsunade of the Senju, put forth the idea of a medic on every team. Unfortunately, the idea was put forth during war time and it couldn't be implemented. Sensei wasn't against the idea, but for some reason, he never utilized it."

Shikamaru's drawled out reply was low, but heard by everyone.

"Could have saved countless lives. It was a smart idea and should have been implemented after the war."

Jiraiya nodded his head.

"You're right. It should have. Tsunade was pissed that her proposal was shot down though and after certain...circumstances...left the village with Sensei's blessing. She's still technically a part of the village, but she has the right to roam anywhere within Fire Country and her allies. That's part of why I've called you three here. I need you three to be my emissaries and convince her to come back home."

"Why us, Hokage-sama? Surely there are other more experienced ninja under your command more suited to the task."

Jiraiya grimaced at being called 'Hokage-sama' and turned to Shino.

"Yes, but this mission is suitable for you three. It's low risk (as low risk as you can consider confronting Tsunade), gives you a chance to be out of the village on what could be a longterm mission, and a chance to practice a little diplomacy. This'll be good for the three of you."

Glancing from one to the other, the Hokage continued.

"Normally, I wouldn't assign something like this to kids, even if they are chuunin, but I believe you three are suited for this. For one thing, I doubt Tsunade would hurt kids...too badly. Shizune would give her hell for it. And you three are some of the brightest minds I have right now. If Tsunade won't come back to the village willingly, then I expect you to tell me and I'll meet her somewhere. You are to stay on her trail though, like bloodhounds."

"And how exactly are we supposed to let you know if we're tailing her?"

Jiraiya scowled and flew through the signs for Kuchiyose, a small toad appearing on the desktop, somewhat confused, looking back and forth between the man and the boy.

**Okay, which one of you summoned me?**

"I did. Naruto, leave the room please. Go somewhere out of earshot. Like, I don't know, go stand at the entrance of the Tower."

The blonde quirked an eyebrow, but nodded and melted into the floor. Shino and Shikamaru stared at the place where their friend had been and Shikamaru grunted.

"I'll never get used to him doing that."

Jiraiya snorted and picked the toad up.

"Get used to it. You'll be seeing a lot of it in the future. Now then, I want you to listen to me and then go tell Naruto what I told you."

The little toad listened intently as Jiriaya whispered to it and nodded its head before poofing away. Jiraiya turned back to the other two and crossed his arms.

"Once he's back, we'll be discussing something else important. In fact, we should be seeing him right about...now."

Naruto popped out of the floor, leveling a harsh look at Jiraiya.

"Is it really necessary to release that information?"

"Yes. They're chuunin now and both are mature for their age. I believe they need to know. After all, you could all possibly be out there for quite a while together."

Shikamaru and Shino looked at Naruto expectantly, wondering what could possibly be so important and had their comrade so worried. A sigh from said blond as he flopped down into his chair only made them more curious.

"I'll let you tell them, seeing as you're the Hokage and everything."

Jiraiya nodded his head once and put on the most serious face he could, showing the severity of the situation.

"Alright then, all three of you, sit down and shut up. I'm not answering any questions anymore. This is now an official briefing. No more informal stuff. Chuunin Nara and Aburame. I'm going to share with you some information concerning Chuunin Uzumaki. This has been a cover up for the past thirteen years in our village. Uzumaki is the container for the Kyuubi no Youko. There have been several signs to point to this. His birth date, the whisker marks, the red shroud of chakra at the Chuunin Exams, the obvious feral looks...they're freaking neon signs of obviousness, but we've kept you all in the dark about this."

"You see, the Sandaime adopted Naruto with the idea of giving him a normal life, but with jinchuuriki that simply isn't possible. The civilians, for the majority, despise him. The shinobi, for the most part, tolerate him. Only those who have looked past all the bullshit have seen who he truly is. You two, I believe, are part of that elite. You have the brains to look through that fog of stupidity. Naruto is the container for the Kyuubi, but he is a separate entity."

"He can talk to the Kyuubi and I suspect that, as he grows older, his looks will continually get more feral. His stamina and chakra capacity, already freakishly high, are nearly limitless when paired with the ultimate battery that is the demon fox. You are in no danger from the Kyuubi, so long as Naruto remains in control. We don't know much about jinchuuriki here in Konoha, but the seal on Naruto holding it in is flawless so much as I can tell. Only time will tell what will happen in the future."

"Now then, that said, Naruto is a constant magnet for trouble. Traveling with him, you may find yourselves in constant danger. There is a group called 'Akatsuki' that are seeking out the bijuu for some purpose. Unfortunately, my ability to research their goals was cut short once I became stuck behind this desk. I do have a few things I know that I'll share with you. They wear black cloaks with red clouds. Each member wears a ring symbolizing their affiliation. These men and possibly women are far beyond your level. If you see them, you are _not_ to engage. You get the fuck out of there. Don't entertain the notion of spying or being a hero. You get the hell out. Do I make myself clear?"

The three answered in unison 'Hai, Hokage-sama' and Jiraiya nodded appreciately.

"Good. I can't impress upon you any more how important this is. Not only are you going on a diplomatic mission, but your target is in a dangerous position. Akatsuki is based out of Amegakure and you'll be going to the Border Town more than likely. I'm not entirely sure what may happen here, but if you run into trouble, you get clear and then you summon me via toad. I'll get there as soon as I can. Now, do any of you have any questions?"

The Nara and the Aburame both shook their heads, casting sidelong glances at Naruto. The blond knew that the conversation was far from over and began to mentally prepare himself for what he was sure was going to be a long line of questioning. Jiraiya took a deep breath and sank back into his chair.

"Remember what we spoke of here and don't ever forget it. Remember who your allies are and what they do for you. And above all, and I can't stress this enough, just trust each other. That's all. I expect you all gone by eight tomorrow. You have quite a journey ahead of you. Dismissed."

The three boys rose as one and bowed to the Hokage, ending the meeting in traditional fashion. Naruto walked out the door first, followed by Shino and Shikamaru, and as soon as the door had clicked shut, two hands found their way to his shoulders. Shino's quiet voice floated to his ears.

"You know, we've always suspected that there was something strange about you. My kikaichuu have always found your chakra...disturbing, yet I knew that you weren't dangerous. I'm...disappointed that you didn't trust me enough to tell me your secret, but it was your secret to tell. I could have sympathized with you, seeing as my family's upbringing is generally frowned upon by the majority of the populace."

Naruto didn't bother to turn around. He could practically feel the disappointment of his two friends hovering over his head.

"Shino...when I found out, I was scared. You have no idea how scared and angry I was. It's not a secret that a good portion of the village don't like me. I was afraid that you guys would...you know...flip out."

Shikamaru snorted and let his hand drop from Naruto's shoulder.

"Flip out? I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't insult my intelligence nor Shino's. We're not everyone else. We know how to use our heads. I'm surprised that you even told Kiba and Ino. Kami knows that Ino can't keep a secret to save her life."

"She's kept mine."

Ignoring that nugget of information, Shino walked around the blond and looked back at him over his shoulder.

"I hope that in the future you will see that your friends are trustworthy. I told you that back in Wave."

Naruto watched Shikamaru walk by out of the corner of his eye and hung his head.

"It's not that I didn't trust you guys. It's just...I wasn't ready to tell you yet."

Shikamaru slipped his hands into his pockets and frowned.

"Would you ever have been ready?"

Naruto turned his head to the side so he wouldn't have to look at his friends.

"Is this going to be a problem on the mission?"

Shino shook his head and Shikamaru shrugged.

"I don't think so. We're both just really disappointed I guess."

Naruto folded his arms and narrowed his eyes.

"Well, you can be disappointed all you want. It isn't going to change the fact that I'm nervous and apprehensive about telling people who and what I am. And for very damn good reasons. I'll see you both tomorrow morning."

Before they could reply, he had melted into the ground, already on his way to Asuma's apartment to prepare for the mission. Shino and Shikamaru continued on their way out of the tower, the silence between them hanging heavy until they came to the entranceway where they would part. Shikamaru sighed and shoved his hands farther into his pockets, his shoulders slumping.

"Man, this is such a damn drag. I always suspected that there was something about Naruto, but I never really imagined this. Well, that's not true. I imagined it, but I didn't think it was real."

"Nor did I."

"You know, I'm not really all that upset. I just wish he'd have told us."

"Me too."

Shikamaru glared at his Chuunin comrade.

"You're really big on conversation, aren't you?"

"I merely say what I think, nothing more. I thought that was something we had in common."

Shikamaru's right hand rose from his pocket and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well...whatever. I'll see you tomorrow morning, Shino."

"Indeed."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruot stood at the gate, his arms crossed, and his pack at his feet. He was the first one of his team to be there and the time he had to think was doing him little good. The guards sitting in the hut didn't try to strike up a conversation with him, opting instead to give him some space. He'd been standing stock still for quite a while, ignoring the reflection of the Kyuubi in the windowpane across from him. A motion out of the corner of his eye alerted him to the presence of Shino, steadily making his way up the road. The Aburame stopped beside him, his hands implanted in his overcoat and his collar pulled up as far as it would go.

Naruto cut his eyes toward his friend, knowing that he wouldn't be able to see beyond the dark lenses of the glasses. Shino nodded his head in greeting.

"Good morning, Naruto."

"Morning."

Nothing else was said and the two just stood there side by side, neither speaking to the other. Shikamaru soon dragged up, nearly late and stopped in front of the two. Naruto quirked his head slightly, still somewhat drowsy.

"Morning, Shikamaru."

A grunt was his response. Naruto started to chastise the Nara for his lack of enthusiasm, but decided against it, opting instead to get to business.

"So, who's gonna be team leader here? We can't all lead."

Two bored eyes blinked and Shikamaru lazily drawled out.

"I vote you. After all, I don't really feel like trying to convince some grumpy old hag to come back to Konoha when she doesn't want to...no matter how she looks. So troublesome..."

Shino nodded and the blond shook his head.

"Fine, I'll lead. You guys got everything you need?"

Two nods. So much for verbal communication.

"Okay. Good, I guess. Shino, you bring the drawings?"

The Aburame held up the slips of paper with the nude drawings. Naruto narrowed his eyes. His two comrades were being way too formal. He'd have to change that. This was their first solo mission. He wanted to have a good time as well.

"Alright. Shikamaru, did you bring the buttfor?"

The lazy boy's eyebrows rose and he frowned.

"What the hell's a 'buttfor'?"

Naruto grinned and shouldered his pack.

"For pooping, dumbass. Lighten up, both of you."

Shino's shoulders shook slightly with mirth and Shikamaru's mouth turned up a bit. The mood now a bit brighter, Naruto faced the two of them.

"Are you still upset with me?"

Shikamaru looked up at the clouds and sighed, wishing he could be at his favorite spot rather than where he was.

"Naw...I guess not. You have to tell us what it's like though."

Naruto grinned and walked over to the checkpoint hut.

"Deal. Chuunin Uzumaki, Nara, and Aburame checking out."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jiraiya watched the three boys leave from his large window and smiled. Looked like it would be alright for them. He could only hope that Tsunade would be easy to find and easier to convince. He needed her back in the village. He needed someone he could trust.

As he turned back to his desk, a sudden wind blew the window open and seemed to wrap itself around the Hokage, chilling him to the bone. He slammed the pane shut and looked around the room at his scattered papers.

A chill wind was a bad omen. Not that he was superstitious...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"...and that's pretty much it. He's an asshole half the time, but sometimes he gives good advice."

Shino and Shikamaru stared at their blond friend as if he'd grown another head. They'd stopped for the night at a small shrine and Naruto had told them everything about the Kyuubi. If they hadn't known that things like the fox existed, they'd have called Naruto a liar. Shikamaru leaned back against the steps of the shrine and looked up at the stars.

"That must be weird, having a voice in your head and knowing that it isn't imaginary. Shino could probably relate best."

The high-collared boy nodded his head and pushed his glasses up his nose a bit.

"Yes. My kikaichuu can communicate with me on a base level, but it's nothing like pure intelligence. And having a reflection that is not my own would, quite frankly, creep me out."

Naruto shrugged and put his hands behind his head.

"You get used to it. He's been there so long now, I don't know what I'd do if he wasn't there. It's weird to say that, trust me, I know. The reflection thing still takes me by surprise sometimes, but I've gotten used to it now. Not like I've ever really cared about my appearance anyway."

The three boys sat in silence for a few minutes before Shino's quiet voice broke through the night.

"Have you told Hinata yet?"

"No. I haven't. I'm not sure how she'd take it."

A sigh from his side made his head turn to Shikamaru.

"Hokage-sama was right, Naruto. Your little light show at the Exams pretty much exposed your secret. When we get back, you might as well tell Hinata...Chouji too. They'll take it well. After all, the rest of us did."

Naruto frowned and rubbed his back on the steps to relieve an itch.

"That's what worries me. You guys are accepting this entirely too easily. It almost makes me believe that you're just agreeing because it seems so unreal. You can't see the Kyuubi, so it's easy to just accept it. Make no mistake though. Even though it's sealed in me, it's a frightening beast. It tried to crush me the first time we met."

Shino held up a finger, letting a kikaichuu scout land on it and nodded his head as the bug crawled back into his coat sleeve.

"I'm sure it is. The Shukaku was frightening enough. I can't imagine what the Kyuubi must be like. Although, from what you've said, the Kyuubi has a higher intelligence than the Sand Spirit."

Naruto tugged on one of the shrine's bellropes, making the bell clang back and forth.

"Well, Gaara is insane, that much I know. Other than that, intelligence is speculative."

They sat in silence for a while, listening to the sound of the crickets. Shikamaru was just on the verge of sleep when Naruto sighed.

"You know...I've yet to actually tell anyone about the Kyuubi myself. It's always that they find out or someone else tells them. It's kind of annoying."

Shikamaru rolled an eye to see his friend and closed it just as swiftly, deciding to let Shino take the field on this one.

"As stated before, perhaps you should have taken the initiative sooner."

"And as I've stated before, it's not something I want just everyone knowing."

"While I understand, and appreciate, your aversion to this, Naruto, you have to come clean at some point. Why not start with Hinata? You know, before she figures it out on her own or someone else tells her."

Narut's face paled.

"Oh shit...I hope no one tells her...she'll be so pissed at me."

Silence fell over the three again and the cricket began to chirp again. Annoyed with the critter's incessant noise making, Naruto summoned a small toad and pointed toward where the chirping was coming from.

"Do me a favor and get rid of that cricket please."

The little toad smiled widely and hopped off. The boys sat quietly, listening for the cricket's demise. Suddenly, in the middle of a chirp, a wet smacking sound was heard and the little toad hopped back into the light.

**Mmm...tasty. Anything else?**

"Nope, that was it. I appreciate it. He was getting on my nerves."

The toad grinned and waved its webbed paw.

**No problem. Call me again if you need any insect removal.**

Shikamaru shook his head and sat up straight. They needed to get to sleep and get back on the road in the morning. A thought suddenly popped into his head and he stood up.

"What exactly is your relationship with my teammate, Naruto?"

Taken aback by the sudden question, the blond sputtered for a little bit.

"Not that it's any of your business, but...I don't know. I like Hinata, but we can't seem to ever get anything off the ground. I've taken her out to dinner and Mom...Mom thought we'd be a cute couple..."

"Mom's think everything is cute. What do you think though?"

"I don't know, Shikamaru. I'm not an expert on relationships, okay? And why the hell are we discussing this anyway?"

"Because she's my teammate, I'm your friend, I'm sure you're tired of being asked about the Kyuubi, and this is one of the few conversations that makes you uncomfortable."

While Naruto glared at a bored Shikamaru, Shino decided to chime in his two cents. He was as woefully inadequate as the next thirteen year old when it came to love, but he was more rational about things.

"You realize, of course, that relationships between long-time friends rarely work out? Especially if they share the same friends. There are simply too many things that can go wrong."

Naruto turned his sour gaze on the Aburame.

"Who made you a marriage counselor?"

Before Shino could retort that he wasn't talking about marriage, Naruto stood up and raised both hands in defeat and frustration.

"You know what? I'm not having this discussion with the two of you right now. I'll take first watch. Get some sleep."

The two normally stoic boys watched him disappear into the darkness and Shikamaru snickered.

"Well, that was fun. But we should really get to sleep. He's probably going to give us hell tomorrow."

The bug wielder nodded and stepped inside the shrine, followed by his comrade. The two unrolled their bedrolls and lay down, falling asleep nearly immediately.

Naruto emerged from the ground right in front of the steps, staring into the darkness. He already had enough to worry about with retrieving Tsunade-sama and now his fellow chuunin made him think about Hinata. Truly, he didn't know what to think. After their little debacle at the Exams' second stage, they had pretty much avoided each other except for some isolated incidents. He wanted to tell Hinata about the Kyuubi himself when he returned.

He sighed as he looked up at the bright moon. Just once, he wanted to tell someone a secret about himself and see a genuine reaction. Good or bad.

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"That will be all for this evening, Hinata. We've covered court politics and we'll review them next time. Now, do you have any questions?"

Hinata's fingers unconsciously found each other and began to twiddle, a nervous habit that Hiashi was certain she had dropped a few years ago. The girl finally looked up, her voice hesitant.

"Naruto...at the exams..."

She stopped, as if unsure whether to continue, and Hiashi quirked an eyebrow. His daughter might not be overly assertive, but she'd never had a problem asking questions before. Especially when it came to her blond friend. He heard her take a deep breath and lock eyes with him.

"What was the red shroud of chakra?"

Hinata was not as proficient as others in her clan at reading people, but her father had made a minute twitch and his eyes darted slightly. She had stumbled onto something that made him uncomfortable and it concerned Naruto. Hiashi cleared his throat and gave her an even gaze.

"That is something only Naruto can tell you. I cannot."

"Cannot? Or will not, father?"

"Cannot, daughter. That is something that is Naruto's to tell. If you wish to know, you'll have to ask him."

Hinata was not satisfied with that answer and let her displeasure be known.

"Then I'll speak with him about it when he returns. Good night, father."

Hiashi watched his daughter leave with a frown on her face. The ensuing conversation between her and Naruto would more than likely not be pretty. He actually felt sorry for the boy.

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"Evens."

The dealer slammed the cup down and lifted it, before smiling at the beautiful woman.

"Evens it is. That's quite a pile you took there."

A cheer and excited oink behind her went unheard as brown eyes glared at the dice. She knew that something was coming her way. She'd won just before those ANBU had found her last time. Why now, of all times, was she being sought after? She'd left the life of a ninja behind her. Silently, she scooped her winnings into her bag and stood.

"We're leaving. Now."

The black haired woman picked her pet pig up, clearly confused.

"But where are we going now?"

"Farther west. Something is going to happen."

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The three chuunin had vacated the shrine early that morning, extinguishing the candles and replacing them with new ones before they set out for Border Town. It was empty less than a day when new arrivals stopped for the night and lit the new candles. The taller one took off his hat and fanned himself with it.

"Sure is hot tonight. I'll have to see if that well has any water later."

The shorter of the two nodded and pulled some rations from within his cloak, handing a bar to his companion.

"Don't get comfortable. We're leaving in the morning."

The fanning stopped and sharp teeth glistened in the candlelight.

"You're so uptight. You need to relax more. Our target is a little boy, not someone of our level."

Red eyes with three tomoe rounded on the larger man.

"Our target is a trained ninja. Rank does not matter when dealing with jinchuuriki. Even a mouse backed into a corner will attack a cat with abandon when death is certain, Kisame. And our target is not a frightened mouse."

The blue-skinned man's grin widened significantly.

"He might as well be. Compared to us, he_ is_ a mouse, Itachi."

Itachi sighed at his partner's ignorance.

"A mouse with razor sharp teeth and the power to overwhelm a normal cat. Don't drop your guard."

He listened to Kisame grumble for a while before the man went to fetch water, leaving Itachi to his thoughts. He had a different objective besides Naruto. His presence would remind those behind the scenes that he was still watching them. That he would be there until they died. That justice would be served, one way or the other.

And...he'd heard what had happened to his brother. He needed his brother to erase his shame. He needed his family's good name restored. He needed closure.

So help him God, if that was stolen because of an egomaniac's interference...

His thoughts were broken by Kisame's return and he accepted a cup of water with a nod, ignoring the blue-haired man's chatter.

He would find out tomorrow if his plans had gone to hell in a handbasket...and for several people's health, they had better not have.

**Let me know what you think.**


	34. Update on my Inactivity Not a Chapter

To all my readers,

I apologize for my lack of updates recently, but I have been promoted at work to a position that requires me to work from 6:30am to 6:30pm. By the time I get home, I don't feel like doing anything but watching tv or playing videogames...which brings me to my next topic.

Oblivion has taken over my life. I can't put the damn game down. I know it's a couple years old, but I don't just run out and buy next gen systems when they come out. I always wait for the price to come down. My PS3 has run nonstop in my downtime and I must say, it has been relaxing. Especially after dealing with contractors all day.

Those people...it's like dealing with three year olds. Everyone thinks they're the center of the universe and everyone else can eat shit...BUT, I'll be making nearly twice the money I was making, PLUS commissions. In this economy, that is freaking awesome.

I am getting the itch to write again, however. I just need to get my thoughts together and remember what all I wanted to do with the stories. Updates will be sporadic, but I promise you, I shall never abandon a story. If I feel like I can no longer keep up with what I originally wanted, I will put my stories up for adoption.

Really and truly though, I haven't had a good experience with that. The guy who took over my Naruto/Bleach Xover bombed. He hasn't written one damn thing that I've seen. So, if anyone would like to take up that story, you have my full blessing. The first two chapters are already written and I believe they should still be archived somewhere on the website under the title 'The Crosses We Bear'. If you're interested, I'll help you find it.

If you've taken up my challenges and need help, feel free to contact me. I'll help you to the best of my ability. I'd love to see these challenges take off, get some other people writing.

I apologize in advance for getting your hopes up on a new chapter, but I believe that the loyal readers needed an update on why the hell I'm taking so long. It's not a lack of trying...it's a lack of doing. I've been so tired lately...

I shall return.

P.S. To all you little fuckers that said that I've abandoned my stories or have been general nuisances about my bio page, allow me to tell you all to fornicate yourselves with a garden hose filled with rusty nails. And I pray you get tetanus in your ass. Just because I haven't been writing lately, does not mean it excludes you from my caustic wit.

See you guys later.


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